Battery retention blocks for a battery receiving space of a materials handling vehicle, and materials handling vehicles incorporating the same

ABSTRACT

A materials handling vehicle including a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the removable battery assembly includes lateral battery faces, each including a longitudinal guide structure; the battery receiving space includes opposing retention blocks, each arranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and each comprising a retention lever including a fixed end and a distal end; and the longitudinal guide structure of each lateral battery face includes a lever-receiving detent that is configured to receive the distal end of one of the retention levers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a bypass continuation application of InternationalPatent Application Ser. No. PCT/CN2021/125867 (CRO 2042C WO) filed Oct.22, 2021, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated hereinby reference.

BACKGROUND

Although the concepts of the present disclosure are described hereinwith primary reference to electric pallet trucks where the drive motorof the pallet truck is integrated with the hub of the pallet truck’ssingle drive wheel, it is contemplated that particular concepts of thepresent disclosure will enjoy applicability to pallet trucks with othertypes of motor configurations, or to other types of battery-poweredmaterials handling vehicles including, for example, forklift trucks,tuggers, etc.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the present disclosure, an object of the inventioncan be seen in providing an improved materials handling vehicle as wellas an improved removable battery assembly.

An aspect relates to a materials handling vehicle. The materialshandling vehicle may comprise a materials handling mechanism and a drivemechanism. The materials handling vehicle may comprise a batteryreceiving space and a removable battery assembly.

The materials handling vehicle may be configured to move along aninventory transit surface and engage goods in a warehouse environment.The materials handling mechanism may be configured to engage goods in awarehouse environment and may cooperate with the drive mechanism, underpower from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along aninventory transit surface in the warehouse environment. The removablebattery assembly may comprise a battery body and a battery lockingmechanism. The removable battery assembly and the battery receivingspace may cooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis. Theremovable battery assembly may be inserted into and removed from thebattery receiving space along the battery insertion and removal axis.The battery body may define a longitudinal battery insertion and removalaxis along which the removable battery assembly can be inserted into andremoved from a battery receiving space of a materials handling vehicle.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise a spring-loaded batteryhandle and a spring-loaded locking pin. The spring-loaded locking pinmay comprise a leading portion that may be configured to engage abattery latch positioned in a battery receiving space of a materialshandling vehicle. The battery receiving space may comprise a batterylatch positioned to receive a leading portion of the spring-loadedlocking pin, with the spring-loaded locking pin in an extended position,and/or the removable battery assembly seated in the battery receivingspace. The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a planar handle camsurface and the spring-loaded locking pin may comprise a planar pin camsurface that may be parallel to the handle cam surface. Thespring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin may beconfigured such that the handle cam surface engages the pin cam surfacewith movement of the battery handle, relative to the battery body, alongthe battery insertion and removal axis. The spring-loaded battery handleand the handle cam surface may be constrained to linear movement alongthe battery insertion and removal axis. The battery body may constrainthe spring-loaded battery handle and the handle cam surface to linearmovement along the battery insertion and removal axis. The spring-loadedlocking pin and the pin cam surface may be constrained to linearmovement along a latch engagement and disengagement axis that may beperpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis. The batterybody may constrain the spring-loaded locking pin and the pin cam surfaceto linear movement along the latch engagement and disengagement axis.The spring-loaded battery handle may be spring-biased in a lockedposition and may be movable relative to the battery body from the lockedposition to an unlocked position in a handle lifting direction along thebattery insertion and removal axis. The spring-loaded locking pin may bespring-biased in an extended position and may be movable to a retractedposition in response to movement of the battery handle from the lockedposition to an unlocked position, with the handle cam surface engagingthe pin cam surface. The spring-loaded locking pin may be spring-biasedin an extended position and may be movable relative to the battery bodyfrom the extended position to a retracted position along the latchengagement and disengagement axis in response to movement of the batteryhandle, relative to the battery body, in the handle lifting directionwith the handle cam surface engaged with the pin cam surface.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise a pair of spring-loadedlocking pins. The battery receiving space may comprise a correspondingpair of battery latches positioned on opposite sides of the batteryreceiving space, to receive a leading portion of a corresponding one ofthe pair of spring-loaded locking pins with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a grip portion and a pairof spaced apart arm portions extending in the handle lifting direction,along the battery insertion and removal axis, from inside the batterybody to opposite ends of the grip portion, outside of the battery body(210). Each arm portion may comprise a planar handle cam surface andeach spring-loaded locking pin may comprise a corresponding planar pincam surface that may be parallel to the handle cam surface.

The planar handle cam surface and corresponding planar pin cam surfaceof one of the arm portions may be configured as a mirror image of theplanar handle cam surface and corresponding planar pin cam surface ofthe other of the arm portions. The pair of spring-loaded locking pinsmay comprise locking pin extensions that may extend along the latchengagement and disengagement axis in opposite directions.

The planar handle cam surface and the planar pin cam surface may defineequal alternate exterior angles, relative to a cam surface traversalextending in the handle lifting direction, along the battery insertionand removal axis.

The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a locking pin passageformed in the planar handle cam surface. The spring-loaded locking pinmay comprise a locking pin extension extending from the planar pin camsurface through the locking pin passage formed in the planar handle camsurface.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a handle spring indirect contact with the spring-loaded battery handle to bias the batteryhandle toward the locked position, a locking pin spring in directcontact with the spring-loaded locking pin to bias the spring-loadedlocking pin toward the extended position, or both.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a handle spring indirect contact with the spring-loaded battery handle to bias the batteryhandle toward the locked position. The battery body may comprise ahandle-facing, spring-receiving cavity for the handle spring. Thespring-loaded battery handle may comprise a spring-engaging fingerextending from the battery handle in the handle lifting direction, alongthe battery insertion and removal axis, into the handle-facingspring-receiving cavity, along a longitudinal axis of thespring-receiving cavity.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a locking pin springin direct contact with the spring-loaded locking pin to bias thespring-loaded locking pin toward the extended position. The battery bodymay comprise a pin-facing, spring-receiving cavity. The spring-loadedlocking pin may comprise a spring-engaging finger extending from thespring-loaded locking pin perpendicular to the battery insertion andremoval axis, into the pin-facing, spring-receiving cavity, along alongitudinal axis of the spring-receiving cavity.

The battery body of the removable battery assembly may comprise aplurality of rechargeable battery cells, a front case, and a rear case.The front and rear cases may cooperate to contain a plurality ofrechargeable battery cells therein. The front and rear cases maycooperate to contain portions of the spring-loaded battery handlecomprising the handle cam surface and portions of the spring-loadedlocking pin comprising the pin cam surface.

Either the front case or the rear case of the battery body mayexclusively constrain the spring-loaded battery handle and the handlecam surface to linear movement along the battery insertion and removalaxis.

The battery body may contain portions of the spring-loaded batteryhandle comprising the handle cam surface and portions of thespring-loaded locking pin comprising the pin cam surface. The batterybody may comprise one or more handle passages and one or more lockingpin passages. An arm portion of the spring-loaded battery handle maypass through the handle passage to a grip portion of the battery handleoutside of the battery body. A locking pin extension of thespring-loaded locking pin passes through the locking pin passage to anexterior of the battery body.

The spring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin mayengage at the handle cam surface and the pin cam surface such thatmovement of the battery handle from the locked position to the unlockedposition through the handle passage in the handle lifting directioncauses movement of the locking pin extension of the spring-loadedlocking pin through the locking pin passage from the extended positionto the retracted position along the latch engagement and disengagementaxis.

The grip portion of the battery handle may be flush with a top surfaceof the battery body in the locked position and may extend above the topsurface of the battery body in the unlocked position.

The battery body may comprise a handle grip recess formed below the gripportion of the spring-loaded battery handle. The handle grip recess mayextend at least approximately 6.5 mm along the battery insertion andremoval axis.

The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise handle-side limitingsurfaces independent of the planar handle cam surface of the batteryhandle. The handle-side limiting surfaces may be inclined relative tothe handle lifting direction. The battery body may comprise body-sidelimiting surfaces that may be positioned parallel to correspondinghandle-side limiting surfaces of the spring-loaded battery handle, toengage the corresponding handle-side limiting surfaces of the batteryhandle in the locked position.

The battery body may comprise a body-side limiting surface that may beinclined relative to the handle lifting direction and dedicated forengagement of the handle cam surface in the unlocked position.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatmay complement the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly.The spring-loaded locking pin may be positioned at a point along alongitudinal dimension of the battery body that may result in lockingpin engagement with the battery latch simultaneously with engagement ofthe electrical socket on the leading face of the removable batteryassembly with the electrical connector in the battery receiving space,as the removable battery assembly may be inserted into the batteryreceiving space, with the spring-loaded battery handle in the lockedposition.

The electrical socket may be recessed on the leading face of theremovable battery assembly.

The leading face of the removable battery assembly may rest on a bottomsurface of the battery receiving space with the spring-loaded lockingpin engaged with the battery latch, and the electrical socket engagedwith the electrical connector.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatmay complement the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly.The electrical socket, the electrical connector, the battery body, andthe battery receiving space may be configured to define a standoff gapextending along the battery insertion and removal axis between opposingsurfaces of the electrical socket and the electrical connector, with theleading face of the removable battery assembly resting on a bottomsurface of the battery receiving space.

The electrical connector in the battery receiving space may comprise aconnector housing comprising an outer wall that is tapered to areduced-size footprint as it extends away from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space. The electrical socket on the leading face ofthe removable battery assembly may comprise a socket housing comprisingan inner wall that is tapered to an increased-size footprint as itextends away from the leading face of the removable battery assembly,the inner wall that may be tapered to complement and contact the taperof the outer wall of the connector housing with the leading face of theremovable battery assembly resting on the bottom surface of the batteryreceiving space, and with the standoff gap between opposing surfaces ofthe electrical socket and the electrical connector.

The battery receiving space may comprise opposing pairs of battery guidepins, each opposing pair may be arranged on opposite sides of thebattery receiving space, and each opposing pair may comprise a latchingpin and a guiding pin. The battery body may comprise lateral batteryfaces, each may comprise a longitudinal guide structure that may beoriented along the battery insertion and removal axis and is sized toaccommodate the opposing pairs of guide pins as the removable batteryassembly is inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space.The latching pin of each opposing pair of battery guide pins maycomprise a recess forming the battery latch that may be positioned toreceive a leading portion of one of the spring-loaded locking pins inthe extended position, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.

The battery receiving space may comprise a latching pin and a guidingpin arranged on one side of the battery receiving space. The batterybody may comprise a lateral battery face comprising a longitudinal guidestructure that may be oriented along the battery insertion and removalaxis and may be sized to accommodate the latching pin and the guidingpin as the removable battery assembly is inserted into and removed fromthe battery receiving space. The latching pin may comprise a recessforming the battery latch.

The battery receiving space may comprise latching pins arranged onopposite sides of the battery receiving space. The battery body maycomprise lateral battery faces, each comprising a longitudinal guidestructure that may be oriented along the battery insertion and removalaxis and may be sized to accommodate one of the latching pins as theremovable battery assembly is inserted into and removed from the batteryreceiving space. Each latching pin may comprise a recess forming thebattery latch.

A further aspect relates to a removable battery assembly. The removablebattery assembly may comprise a battery body and a battery lockingmechanism

The battery body may define a longitudinal battery insertion and removalaxis along which the removable battery assembly can be inserted into andremoved from a battery receiving space of a materials handling vehicle.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise a spring-loaded batteryhandle and a spring-loaded locking pin. The spring-loaded locking pinmay comprise a leading portion that may be configured to engage abattery latch positioned in a battery receiving space of a materialshandling vehicle. The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a planarhandle cam surface and the spring-loaded locking pin may comprise aplanar pin cam surface that may be parallel to the handle cam surface.The spring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin maybe configured such that the handle cam surface engages the pin camsurface with movement of the battery handle, relative to the batterybody, along the battery insertion and removal axis. The battery body mayconstrain the spring-loaded battery handle and the handle cam surface tolinear movement along the battery insertion and removal axis. Thebattery body may constrain the spring-loaded locking pin and the pin camsurface to linear movement along a latch engagement and disengagementaxis that may be perpendicular to the battery insertion and removalaxis. The spring-loaded battery handle may be spring-biased in a lockedposition and is movable relative to the battery body from the lockedposition to an unlocked position in a handle lifting direction along thebattery insertion and removal axis. The spring-loaded locking pin may bespring-biased in an extended position and may be movable relative to thebattery body from the extended position to a retracted position alongthe latch engagement and disengagement axis in response to movement ofthe battery handle, relative to the battery body, in the handle liftingdirection with the handle cam surface engaged with the pin cam surface.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise a pair of spring-loadedlocking pins. The battery receiving space may comprise a correspondingpair of battery latches positioned on opposite sides of the batteryreceiving space, to receive a leading portion of a corresponding one ofthe pair of spring-loaded locking pins with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a grip portion and a pairof spaced apart arm portions extending in the handle lifting direction,along the battery insertion and removal axis, from inside the batterybody to opposite ends of the grip portion, outside of the battery body(210). Each arm portion may comprise a planar handle cam surface andeach spring-loaded locking pin may comprise a corresponding planar pincam surface that may be parallel to the handle cam surface.

The planar handle cam surface and corresponding planar pin cam surfaceof one of the arm portions may be configured as a mirror image of theplanar handle cam surface and corresponding planar pin cam surface ofthe other of the arm portions. The pair of spring-loaded locking pinsmay comprise locking pin extensions that may extend along the latchengagement and disengagement axis in opposite directions.

The planar handle cam surface and the planar pin cam surface may defineequal alternate exterior angles, relative to a cam surface traversalextending in the handle lifting direction, along the battery insertionand removal axis.

The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a locking pin passageformed in the planar handle cam surface. The spring-loaded locking pinmay comprise a locking pin extension extending from the planar pin camsurface through the locking pin passage formed in the planar handle camsurface.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a handle spring indirect contact with the spring-loaded battery handle to bias the batteryhandle toward the locked position, a locking pin spring in directcontact with the spring-loaded locking pin to bias the spring-loadedlocking pin toward the extended position, or both.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a handle spring indirect contact with the spring-loaded battery handle to bias the batteryhandle toward the locked position. The battery body may comprise ahandle-facing, spring-receiving cavity for the handle spring. Thespring-loaded battery handle may comprise a spring-engaging fingerextending from the battery handle in the handle lifting direction, alongthe battery insertion and removal axis, into the handle-facingspring-receiving cavity, along a longitudinal axis of thespring-receiving cavity.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a locking pin springin direct contact with the spring-loaded locking pin to bias thespring-loaded locking pin toward the extended position. The battery bodymay comprise a pin-facing, spring-receiving cavity. The spring-loadedlocking pin may comprise a spring-engaging finger extending from thespring-loaded locking pin perpendicular to the battery insertion andremoval axis, into the pin-facing, spring-receiving cavity, along alongitudinal axis of the spring-receiving cavity.

The battery body of the removable battery assembly may comprise aplurality of rechargeable battery cells, a front case, and a rear case.The front and rear cases may cooperate to contain a plurality ofrechargeable battery cells therein. The front and rear cases maycooperate to contain portions of the spring-loaded battery handlecomprising the handle cam surface and portions of the spring-loadedlocking pin comprising the pin cam surface.

Either the front case or the rear case of the battery body mayexclusively constrain the spring-loaded battery handle and the handlecam surface to linear movement along the battery insertion and removalaxis.

The battery body may contain portions of the spring-loaded batteryhandle comprising the handle cam surface and portions of thespring-loaded locking pin comprising the pin cam surface. The batterybody may comprise one or more handle passages and one or more lockingpin passages. An arm portion of the spring-loaded battery handle maypass through the handle passage to a grip portion of the battery handleoutside of the battery body. A locking pin extension of thespring-loaded locking pin passes through the locking pin passage to anexterior of the battery body.

The spring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin mayengage at the handle cam surface and the pin cam surface such thatmovement of the battery handle from the locked position to the unlockedposition through the handle passage in the handle lifting directioncauses movement of the locking pin extension of the spring-loadedlocking pin through the locking pin passage from the extended positionto the retracted position along the latch engagement and disengagementaxis.

The grip portion of the battery handle may be flush with a top surfaceof the battery body in the locked position and may extend above the topsurface of the battery body in the unlocked position.

The battery body may comprise a handle grip recess formed below the gripportion of the spring-loaded battery handle. The handle grip recess mayextend at least approximately 6.5 mm along the battery insertion andremoval axis.

The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise handle-side limitingsurfaces independent of the planar handle cam surface of the batteryhandle. The handle-side limiting surfaces may be inclined relative tothe handle lifting direction. The battery body may comprise body-sidelimiting surfaces that may be positioned parallel to correspondinghandle-side limiting surfaces of the spring-loaded battery handle, toengage the corresponding handle-side limiting surfaces of the batteryhandle in the locked position.

The battery body may comprise a body-side limiting surface that may beinclined relative to the handle lifting direction and dedicated forengagement of the handle cam surface in the unlocked position.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatmay complement the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly.The spring-loaded locking pin may be positioned at a point along alongitudinal dimension of the battery body that may result in lockingpin engagement with the battery latch simultaneously with engagement ofthe electrical socket on the leading face of the removable batteryassembly with the electrical connector in the battery receiving space,as the removable battery assembly may be inserted into the batteryreceiving space, with the spring-loaded battery handle in the lockedposition.

The electrical socket may be recessed on the leading face of theremovable battery assembly.

The leading face of the removable battery assembly may rest on a bottomsurface of the battery receiving space with the spring-loaded lockingpin engaged with the battery latch, and the electrical socket engagedwith the electrical connector.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatmay complement the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly.The electrical socket, the electrical connector, the battery body, andthe battery receiving space may be configured to define a standoff gapextending along the battery insertion and removal axis between opposingsurfaces of the electrical socket and the electrical connector, with theleading face of the removable battery assembly resting on a bottomsurface of the battery receiving space.

The electrical connector in the battery receiving space may comprise aconnector housing comprising an outer wall that is tapered to areduced-size footprint as it extends away from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space. The electrical socket on the leading face ofthe removable battery assembly may comprise a socket housing comprisingan inner wall that is tapered to an increased-size footprint as itextends away from the leading face of the removable battery assembly,the inner wall that may be tapered to complement and contact the taperof the outer wall of the connector housing with the leading face of theremovable battery assembly resting on the bottom surface of the batteryreceiving space, and with the standoff gap between opposing surfaces ofthe electrical socket and the electrical connector.

The battery receiving space may comprise opposing pairs of battery guidepins, each opposing pair may be arranged on opposite sides of thebattery receiving space, and each opposing pair may comprise a latchingpin and a guiding pin. The battery body may comprise lateral batteryfaces, each may comprise a longitudinal guide structure that may beoriented along the battery insertion and removal axis and is sized toaccommodate the opposing pairs of guide pins as the removable batteryassembly is inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space.The latching pin of each opposing pair of battery guide pins maycomprise a recess forming the battery latch that may be positioned toreceive a leading portion of one of the spring-loaded locking pins inthe extended position, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.

The battery receiving space may comprise a latching pin and a guidingpin arranged on one side of the battery receiving space. The batterybody may comprise a lateral battery face comprising a longitudinal guidestructure that may be oriented along the battery insertion and removalaxis and may be sized to accommodate the latching pin and the guidingpin as the removable battery assembly is inserted into and removed fromthe battery receiving space. The latching pin may comprise a recessforming the battery latch.

The battery receiving space may comprise latching pins arranged onopposite sides of the battery receiving space. The battery body maycomprise lateral battery faces, each comprising a longitudinal guidestructure that may be oriented along the battery insertion and removalaxis and may be sized to accommodate one of the latching pins as theremovable battery assembly is inserted into and removed from the batteryreceiving space. Each latching pin may comprise a recess forming thebattery latch.

In a further aspect, a materials handling vehicle includes a batteryreceiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: theremovable battery assembly includes a battery body and a battery lockingmechanism; the battery locking mechanism includes a spring-loadedbattery handle and a spring-loaded locking pin; the battery receivingspace includes a battery latch positioned to receive a leading portionof the spring-loaded locking pin with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space; the spring-loaded battery handleincludes a planar handle cam surface and the spring-loaded locking pinincludes a planar pin cam surface; the spring-loaded battery handle andthe spring-loaded locking pin are configured such that the handle camsurface engages the pin cam surface with movement of the battery handle,relative to the battery body; the spring-loaded battery handle isspring-biased in a locked position; and the spring-loaded locking pin isspring-biased in an extended position and is movable to a retractedposition in response to movement of the battery handle from the lockedposition to an unlocked position, with the handle cam surface engagingthe pin cam surface.

A further aspect relates to a materials handling vehicle. The materialshandling vehicle may comprise a materials handling mechanism and a drivemechanism. The materials handling vehicle may comprise a batteryreceiving space and a removable battery assembly.

The materials handling vehicle may be configured to move along aninventory transit surface and engage goods in a warehouse environment.The materials handling mechanism may be configured to engage goods in awarehouse environment and may cooperate with the drive mechanism, underpower from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along aninventory transit surface in the warehouse environment.

The removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space maycooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis. The removablebattery assembly may be inserted into and removed from the batteryreceiving space along the battery insertion and removal axis. Thebattery receiving space may comprise opposing pairs of battery guidepins, each opposing pair may be arranged on opposite sides of thebattery receiving space, and each opposing pair may comprise a latchingpin and a guiding pin.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a battery body. Theremovable battery assembly may comprise a battery locking mechanism. Thebattery body may comprise lateral battery faces, each comprising alongitudinal guide structure. The longitudinal guide structure may besized to accommodate a pair of guide pins as the removable batteryassembly is inserted into and removed from a battery receiving spacecomprising opposing pairs of guide pins. The longitudinal guidestructure may be oriented along the battery insertion and removal axis.The longitudinal guide structure may be sized to accommodate theopposing pairs of battery guide pins as the removable battery assemblyis inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise spring-loaded locking pinsthat may be spring-biased in extended positions and may be movablerelative to the battery body from the extended positions to respectiveretracted positions along a latch engagement and disengagement axis. Thelatching pin of each opposing pair of battery guide pins may comprise arecess forming a battery latch that may be positioned to receive aleading portion of one of the spring-loaded locking pins in the extendedposition, with the removable battery assembly seated in the batteryreceiving space.

The latching pin of each opposing pair of battery guide pins maycomprise a chamfered engagement face. The spring-loaded locking pins ofthe battery locking mechanism each may comprise a complementarychamfered engagement face that may be oriented to face the chamferedengagement face of one of the latching pins as the removable batteryassembly is inserted into the battery receiving space.

The chamfered engagement face of each latching pin may lead to therecess forming the battery latch of each latching pin.

The latching pin and the guiding pin of each opposing pair of batteryguide pins may be positioned along a common guide pin axis, parallel tothe battery insertion and removal axis.

The latching pin and the guiding pin of each opposing pair of batteryguide pins are separated by a guide pin spacing that may be less thanhalf of a longitudinal dimension of the lateral battery faces, and maybe at least about 47.5 mm.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces may beconfigured as guide channels. The opposing pairs of battery guide pinsmay extend into the guide channels with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space.

The longitudinal guide structure of one of the lateral battery faces maybe shorter than the longitudinal guide structure of the other lateralbattery face, to create free space along one of the lateral batteryfaces.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a pair of guide pinstabilizers on each of the lateral battery faces. Each pair of guide pinstabilizers may form a restricted-width guide pin gap along thelongitudinal guide structure on each of the lateral battery faces.

The guiding pin of each opposing pair of battery guide pins may resideat a guiding pin parking position along the longitudinal guide structureon each of the lateral battery faces, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space. The restricted-widthguide pin gap formed by each pair of guide pin stabilizers may at leastpartially overlap the guiding pin parking position along thelongitudinal guide structure on each of the lateral battery faces.

The guide pin stabilizers may be configured to yield in a lateralyielding direction and to maintain a degree of lateral resilience, whena guiding pin enters the restricted-width guide pin gap. The guide pinstabilizers may be configured to yield in a lateral yielding directionperpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis, and to maintaina degree of lateral resilience, when a guiding pin enters therestricted-width guide pin gap.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces may beconfigured as guide channels. Each guide pin stabilizer may comprise astabilizer shank that may be anchored in the battery body and astabilizer cap that may extend partially into or partially over one ofthe guide channels to reduce an effective width of the guide channel.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise a spring-loaded batteryhandle. The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a planar handlecam surface and the spring-loaded locking pin may comprise a planar pincam surface that may be parallel to the handle cam surface. Thespring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin may beconfigured such that the handle cam surface engages the pin cam surfacewith movement of the battery handle, relative to the battery body, alongthe battery insertion and removal axis.

The battery body may constrain the spring-loaded battery handle and thehandle cam surface to linear movement along the battery insertion andremoval axis. The battery body may constrain the spring-loaded lockingpin and the pin cam surface to linear movement along a latch engagementand disengagement axis that may be perpendicular to the batteryinsertion and removal axis. The spring-loaded battery handle may bespring-biased in a locked position and may be movable relative to thebattery body from the locked position to an unlocked position in ahandle lifting direction along the battery insertion and removal axis.The spring-loaded locking pin may be spring-biased in the extendedposition and is movable relative to the battery body from the extendedposition to a retracted position along the latch engagement anddisengagement axis in response to movement of the battery handle,relative to the battery body, in the handle lifting direction with thehandle cam surface engaged with the pin cam surface.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatcomplements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly. Thespring-loaded locking pins may be positioned at points along alongitudinal dimension of the battery body that results in locking pinengagement with the latching pins simultaneously with engagement of theelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assemblywith the electrical connector in the battery receiving space, as theremovable battery assembly is inserted into the battery receiving space,with the spring-loaded battery handle in the locked position.

The leading face of the removable battery assembly may rest on a bottomsurface of the battery receiving space with the spring-loaded lockingpins engaged with the latching pins, and the electrical socket engagedwith the electrical connector.

A further aspect relates to a removable battery assembly. The removablebattery assembly may comprise a battery body. The removable batteryassembly may comprise a battery locking mechanism.

The battery body may comprise lateral battery faces, each comprising alongitudinal guide structure that may be sized to accommodate a pair ofguide pins as the removable battery assembly is inserted into andremoved from a battery receiving space comprising opposing pairs ofguide pins. The removable battery assembly may further comprise a pairof guide pin stabilizers on each of the lateral battery faces. Each pairof guide pin stabilizers may form a restricted-width guide pin gap alongthe longitudinal guide structure on each of the lateral battery facesand may be configured to yield in a lateral yielding direction and tomaintain a degree of lateral resilience, when a guiding pin enters therestricted-width guide pin gap.

The removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space maycooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis. The removablebattery assembly may be inserted into and removed from the batteryreceiving space along the battery insertion and removal axis.

The longitudinal guide structure may be oriented along the batteryinsertion and removal axis. The longitudinal guide structure may besized to accommodate the opposing pairs of guide pins as the removablebattery assembly is inserted into and removed from the battery receivingspace.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise spring-loaded locking pinsthat may be spring-biased in extended positions and may be movablerelative to the battery body from the extended positions to respectiveretracted positions along a latch engagement and disengagement axis. Alatching pin of each opposing pair of guide pins may comprise a recessforming a battery latch that may be positioned to receive a leadingportion of one of the spring-loaded locking pins in the extendedposition, with the removable battery assembly seated in the batteryreceiving space.

The latching pin of each opposing pair of guide pins may comprise achamfered engagement face. The spring-loaded locking pins of the batterylocking mechanism each may comprise a complementary chamfered engagementface that may be oriented to face the chamfered engagement face of oneof the latching pins as the removable battery assembly is inserted intothe battery receiving space.

The chamfered engagement face of each latching pin may lead to therecess forming the battery latch of each latching pin.

The latching pin and the guiding pin of each opposing pair of guide pinsmay be positioned along a common guide pin axis, parallel to the batteryinsertion and removal axis.

The latching pin and the guiding pin of each opposing pair of guide pinsare separated by a guide pin spacing that may be less than half of alongitudinal dimension of the lateral battery faces, and may be at leastabout 47.5 mm.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces may beconfigured as guide channels. The opposing pairs of guide pins mayextend into the guide channels with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space.

The longitudinal guide structure of one of the lateral battery faces maybe shorter than the longitudinal guide structure of the other lateralbattery face, to create free space along one of the lateral batteryfaces.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a pair of guide pinstabilizers on each of the lateral battery faces. Each pair of guide pinstabilizers may form a restricted-width guide pin gap along thelongitudinal guide structure on each of the lateral battery faces.

The guiding pin of each opposing pair of guide pins may reside at aguiding pin parking position along the longitudinal guide structure oneach of the lateral battery faces, with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space. The restricted-width guide pingap formed by each pair of guide pin stabilizers may at least partiallyoverlap the guiding pin parking position along the longitudinal guidestructure on each of the lateral battery faces.

The guide pin stabilizers may be configured to yield in a lateralyielding direction and to maintain a degree of lateral resilience, whena guiding pin enters the restricted-width guide pin gap. The guide pinstabilizers may be configured to yield in a lateral yielding directionperpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis, and to maintaina degree of lateral resilience, when a guiding pin enters therestricted-width guide pin gap.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces may beconfigured as guide channels. The opposing pairs of guide pins mayextend into the guide channels with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space.

The longitudinal guide structure of one of the lateral battery faces maybe shorter than the longitudinal guide structure of the other lateralbattery face, to create free space along one of the lateral batteryfaces.

The removable battery assembly may further comprise a pair of guide pinstabilizers on each of the lateral battery faces. Each pair of guide pinstabilizers may form a restricted-width guide pin gap along thelongitudinal guide structure on each of the lateral battery faces.

The guiding pin of each opposing pair of guide pins may reside at aguiding pin parking position along the longitudinal guide structure oneach of the lateral battery faces, with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space. The restricted-width guide pingap formed by each pair of guide pin stabilizers may at least partiallyoverlap the guiding pin parking position along the longitudinal guidestructure on each of the lateral battery faces.

The guide pin stabilizers may be configured to yield in a lateralyielding direction and to maintain a degree of lateral resilience, whena guiding pin enters the restricted-width guide pin gap. The guide pinstabilizers may be configured to yield in a lateral yielding directionperpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis, and to maintaina degree of lateral resilience, when a guiding pin enters therestricted-width guide pin gap.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces may beconfigured as guide channels. Each guide pin stabilizer may comprise astabilizer shank that may be anchored in the battery body and astabilizer cap that may extend partially into or partially over one ofthe guide channels to reduce an effective width of the guide channel.

The battery locking mechanism may comprise a spring-loaded batteryhandle. The spring-loaded battery handle may comprise a planar handlecam surface and the spring-loaded locking pin may comprise a planar pincam surface that may be parallel to the handle cam surface. Thespring-loaded battery handle and the spring-loaded locking pin may beconfigured such that the handle cam surface engages the pin cam surfacewith movement of the battery handle, relative to the battery body, alongthe battery insertion and removal axis.

The battery body may constrain the spring-loaded battery handle and thehandle cam surface to linear movement along the battery insertion andremoval axis. The battery body may constrain the spring-loaded lockingpin and the pin cam surface to linear movement along a latch engagementand disengagement axis that may be perpendicular to the batteryinsertion and removal axis. The spring-loaded battery handle may bespring-biased in a locked position and may be movable relative to thebattery body from the locked position to an unlocked position in ahandle lifting direction along the battery insertion and removal axis.The spring-loaded locking pin may be spring-biased in the extendedposition and is movable relative to the battery body from the extendedposition to a retracted position along the latch engagement anddisengagement axis in response to movement of the battery handle,relative to the battery body, in the handle lifting direction with thehandle cam surface engaged with the pin cam surface.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatcomplements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly. Thespring-loaded locking pins may be positioned at points along alongitudinal dimension of the battery body that results in locking pinengagement with the latching pins simultaneously with engagement of theelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assemblywith the electrical connector in the battery receiving space, as theremovable battery assembly is inserted into the battery receiving space,with the spring-loaded battery handle in the locked position.

The leading face of the removable battery assembly may rest on a bottomsurface of the battery receiving space with the spring-loaded lockingpins engaged with the latching pins, and the electrical socket engagedwith the electrical connector.

In a further aspect, a materials handling vehicle includes a batteryreceiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the batteryreceiving space includes opposing pairs of battery guide pins, eachopposing pair arranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space,and each opposing pair includes a latching pin and a guiding pin; theremovable battery assembly includes a battery locking mechanism; thebattery locking mechanism includes spring-loaded locking pins that arespring-biased in extended positions and are movable from the extendedpositions to respective retracted positions; the latching pin of eachopposing pair of battery guide pins includes a recess forming a batterylatch that is positioned to receive a leading portion of one of thespring-loaded locking pins in the extended position.

A further aspect relates to a materials handling vehicle. The materialshandling vehicle may comprise a materials handling mechanism and a drivemechanism. The materials handling vehicle may comprise a batteryreceiving space and a removable battery assembly.

The materials handling vehicle may be configured to move along aninventory transit surface and engage goods in a warehouse environment,The materials handling mechanism may be configured to engage goods in awarehouse environment and may cooperate with the drive mechanism, underpower from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along aninventory transit surface in the warehouse environment.

The removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space maycooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis. The removablebattery assembly may be inserted into and removed from the batteryreceiving space along the battery insertion and removal axis. Theremovable battery assembly may comprise lateral battery faces, eachcomprising a longitudinal guide structure that may be oriented along thebattery insertion and removal axis. The removable battery assembly maycomprise a battery body and a battery locking mechanism. The batterybody may define a longitudinal battery insertion and removal axis alongwhich the removably battery assembly can be inserted into and removedfrom a battery receiving space of a materials handling vehicle. Thebattery body may comprise lateral battery faces. Each lateral batteryface may comprise a longitudinal guide structure that may be orientedalong the battery insertion and removal axis.

The battery receiving space may comprises opposing guide blocks, eacharranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and eachcomprising a securement portion and a replaceable portion. Thereplaceable portion of each guide block may comprise a friction-inducingsurface and a guiding surface. Each friction-inducing surface may extendalong the battery insertion and removal axis, parallel to and facing anopposing one of the lateral battery faces, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space. Each guiding surface mayextend along the battery insertion and removal axis, perpendicular tothe lateral battery faces and/or facing an opposing surface of thelongitudinal guide structure, with the removable battery assembly seatedin the battery receiving space.

The friction-inducing and guiding surfaces of each replaceable portionof each guide block may face an opposing surface of the removablebattery assembly or the longitudinal guide structure withoutinterference from the securement portions of each guide block, with theremovable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The friction-inducing surface of each replaceable portion of each guideblock may extend discontinuously in a direction along the batteryinsertion and removal axis and may face the opposing lateral batteryface in a perpendicular direction, with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space. The guiding surface of eachreplaceable portion of each guide block may extend continuously in thedirection and may face the opposing surface of the longitudinal guidestructure in a perpendicular direction, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery face may beconfigured as a stepped guide channel comprising a one-sided channelportion that may transition to a two-sided channel portion at a channelshoulder. The replaceable portion of each guide block may comprise achamfered leading portion, the chamfered leading portion may face thechannel shoulder in the longitudinal guide structure. The one andtwo-sided channel portions of the longitudinal guide structure mayextend along the battery insertion and removal axis.

The replaceable portion of each guide block may comprise a lower surfacehardness and higher surface friction, relative to the securementportion.

The friction-inducing surfaces of each replaceable portion of each guideblock may be raised, relative to the securement portions and remainingportions of the replaceable portions of each guide block, in thedirection of the opposing the lateral battery faces.

The friction-inducing surfaces of each replaceable portion of each guideblock may comprise a series of friction-inducing ridges oriented acrossthe battery insertion and removal axis.

The securement portion of each guide block may be secured to thematerials handling vehicle. The replaceable portion of each guide blockmay be seated within the securement portion, and may be removable fromthe securement portion without destruction of the securement portion.

The securement portion of each guide block may be configured as abracket from which the replaceable portion of each guide block mayextend to define the friction-inducing and guiding surfaces.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery face may beconfigured as a stepped guide channel comprising a one-sided channelportion that may transition to a two-sided channel portion at a channelshoulder. The replaceable portion of each guide block may comprise achamfered leading portion, the chamfered leading portion facing thechannel shoulder in the longitudinal guide structure.

Each longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces maycomprise a one-sided channel portion that may comprise the opposingsurface facing the guiding surface of the guide block, with theremovable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The one-sided and two-sided channel portions of the longitudinal guidestructure may extend in a direction along the battery insertion andremoval axis. Each friction-inducing surface may face an opposing one ofthe lateral battery faces in a perpendicular direction, with theremovable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space. Eachguiding surface may face an opposing surface of the longitudinal guidestructure in a perpendicular direction, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space. The replaceable portionof each guide block may comprise a chamfered leading portion that mayface a channel shoulder of the longitudinal guide structure, in thedirection.

The removable battery assembly or the locking mechanism may furthercomprise a pair of spring-loaded locking pins, each disposed in one ofthe two-sided channel portions of the longitudinal guide structure.

The battery receiving space may comprise a pair of battery latchespositioned on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, to receivea leading portion of a corresponding one of the pair of spring-loadedlocking pins with the removable battery assembly seated in the batteryreceiving space.

Each opposing guide block may be positioned along the battery insertionand removal axis to engage the channel shoulder of one of thelongitudinal guide structures with the removable battery assembly seatedin the battery receiving space and the leading portions of the pair ofspring-loaded locking pins received within the pair of battery latches.

A further aspect relates to a removable battery assembly. The removablebattery assembly may comprise a battery body. The removable batteryassembly may comprise a battery locking mechanism.

The battery body may define a longitudinal battery insertion and removalaxis along which the removably battery assembly can be inserted into andremoved from a battery receiving space of a materials handling vehicle.The battery body may comprise lateral battery faces. Each lateralbattery face may comprise a longitudinal guide structure that may beoriented along the battery insertion and removal axis. The longitudinalguide structures of the lateral battery faces may be configured as astepped guide channel comprising a one-sided channel portion that maytransition to a two-sided channel portion at a channel shoulder. The oneand two-sided channel portions of the longitudinal guide structure mayextend along the battery insertion and removal axis. The lockingmechanism may comprise a pair of spring-loaded locking pins, eachdisposed in one of the two-sided channel portions of the longitudinalguide structure.

The battery receiving space may comprises opposing guide blocks, eacharranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and eachcomprising a securement portion and a replaceable portion. Thereplaceable portion of each guide block may comprise a friction-inducingsurface and a guiding surface. Each friction-inducing surface may extendalong the battery insertion and removal axis, parallel to and facing anopposing one of the lateral battery faces, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space. Each guiding surface mayextend along the battery insertion and removal axis, perpendicular tothe lateral battery faces and/or facing an opposing surface of thelongitudinal guide structure, with the removable battery assembly seatedin the battery receiving space.

The friction-inducing and guiding surfaces of each replaceable portionof each guide block may face an opposing surface of the removablebattery assembly or the longitudinal guide structure withoutinterference from the securement portions of each guide block, with theremovable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The friction-inducing surface of each replaceable portion of each guideblock may extend discontinuously in a direction along the batteryinsertion and removal axis and may face the opposing lateral batteryface in a perpendicular direction, with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space. The guiding surface of eachreplaceable portion of each guide block may extend continuously in thedirection and may face the opposing surface of the longitudinal guidestructure in a perpendicular direction, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The replaceable portion of each guide block may comprise a chamferedleading portion, the chamfered leading portion may face the channelshoulder in the longitudinal guide structure. The one and two-sidedchannel portions of the longitudinal guide structure may extend alongthe battery insertion and removal axis.

The replaceable portion of each guide block may comprise a lower surfacehardness and higher surface friction, relative to the securementportion.

The friction-inducing surfaces of each replaceable portion of each guideblock may be raised, relative to the securement portions and remainingportions of the replaceable portions of each guide block, in thedirection of the opposing the lateral battery faces.

The friction-inducing surfaces of each replaceable portion of each guideblock may comprise a series of friction-inducing ridges oriented acrossthe battery insertion and removal axis.

The securement portion of each guide block may be secured to thematerials handling vehicle. The replaceable portion of each guide blockmay be seated within the securement portion, and may be removable fromthe securement portion without destruction of the securement portion.

The securement portion of each guide block may be configured as abracket from which the replaceable portion of each guide block mayextend to define the friction-inducing and guiding surfaces.

Each longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces maycomprise a one-sided channel portion that may comprise the opposingsurface facing the guiding surface of the guide block, with theremovable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space.

The longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery face may beconfigured as a stepped guide channel comprising a one-sided channelportion that may transition to a two-sided channel portion at a channelshoulder. The one-sided channel portion of the longitudinal guidestructure may comprise the opposing surface facing the guiding surfaceof the guide block, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.

The one-sided and two-sided channel portions of the longitudinal guidestructure may extend in a direction along the battery insertion andremoval axis. Each friction-inducing surface may face an opposing one ofthe lateral battery faces in a perpendicular direction, with theremovable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space. Eachguiding surface may face an opposing surface of the longitudinal guidestructure in a perpendicular direction, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space. The replaceable portionof each guide block may comprise a chamfered leading portion that mayface a channel shoulder of the longitudinal guide structure, in thedirection.

The removable battery assembly or the locking mechanism may furthercomprise a pair of spring-loaded locking pins, each disposed in one ofthe two-sided channel portions of the longitudinal guide structure.

The battery receiving space may comprise a pair of battery latchespositioned on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, to receivea leading portion of a corresponding one of the pair of spring-loadedlocking pins with the removable battery assembly seated in the batteryreceiving space.

Each opposing guide block may be positioned along the battery insertionand removal axis to engage the channel shoulder of one of thelongitudinal guide structures with the removable battery assembly seatedin the battery receiving space and the leading portions of the pair ofspring-loaded locking pins received within the pair of battery latches.

In a further aspect a materials handling vehicle includes a batteryreceiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: theremovable battery assembly includes lateral battery faces, eachincluding a longitudinal guide structure; the battery receiving spaceincludes opposing guide blocks, each arranged on opposite sides of thebattery receiving space, and each including a securement portion and areplaceable portion; the replaceable portion of each guide blockincluding a friction-inducing surface and a guiding surface; eachfriction-inducing surface facing an opposing one of the lateral batteryfaces; and each guiding surface facing an opposing surface of thelongitudinal guide structure, with the removable battery assembly seatedin the battery receiving space.

A further aspect relates to a materials handling vehicle. The materialshandling vehicle may comprise a materials handling mechanism and a drivemechanism. The materials handling vehicle may comprise a batteryreceiving space and a removable battery assembly.

The materials handling vehicle may be configured to move along aninventory transit surface and engage goods in a warehouse environment.The materials handling mechanism may be configured to engage goods in awarehouse environment and cooperates with the drive mechanism, underpower from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along aninventory transit surface in the warehouse environment.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a battery body. The batterybody may define a longitudinal battery insertion and removal axis alongwhich the battery assembly can be inserted into and removed from abattery receiving space of a materials handling vehicle. The removablebattery assembly and the battery receiving space may cooperate to definea battery insertion and removal axis. The removable battery assembly maybe inserted into and removed from the battery receiving space along thebattery insertion and removal axis. The removable battery assembly maycomprise lateral battery faces, each comprising a longitudinal guidestructure that may be oriented along the battery insertion and removalaxis.

The battery receiving space may comprise opposing retention blocks, eacharranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and eachcomprising a retention lever comprising a fixed end and a distal end.The longitudinal guide structure of each lateral battery face maycomprise a lever-receiving detent that is configured to receive thedistal end of one of the retention levers, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space.

Each retention lever may be configured to lie in a state of flexion whenreceived in the lever-receiving detent of the longitudinal guidestructure.

Each retention block may comprise a planar guiding surface facing anopposing surface of the longitudinal guide structure. The planar guidingsurface of the retention block may comprise a retention lever recess.Each retention lever may be configured for increased flexion as it movesprogressively towards the retention lever recess.

Each retention block may comprise a planar guiding surface facing anopposing surface of the longitudinal guide structure. The planar guidingsurface of the retention block may comprise a retention lever recess.The fixed end of each retention lever may be positioned in the retentionlever recess to avoid contact with the opposing surface of thelongitudinal guide structure.

The distal end of each retention lever may comprise a terminal lobe. Thelever-receiving detent and the terminal lobe may define mating roundedprofiles.

Each retention block may comprise a metal backing plate and a plasticretention lever plate.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatcomplements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly.Each retention lever may be positioned such that each of thelever-receiving detents receives a distal end of one of the retentionlevers simultaneously with engagement of the electrical socket on theleading face of the removable battery assembly with the electricalconnector in the battery receiving space, as the removable batteryassembly is inserted into the battery receiving space.

Each longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces maycomprise a one-sided channel portion that comprises the opposing surfacefacing the guiding surface of the retention block, with the removablebattery assembly seated in the battery receiving space. The one-sidedchannel portion of the longitudinal guide structure may comprise alever-receiving detent that is configured to receive the distal end of aretention levers, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.

The one-sided channel portion may terminate in a channel shoulder of thelongitudinal guide structure. Each guide block may comprise a chamferedleading portion that faces the channel shoulder of the longitudinalguide structure, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.

A further aspect relates to a removable battery assembly. The removablebattery assembly may comprise a battery body.

The battery body may define a longitudinal battery insertion and removalaxis along which the battery assembly can be inserted into and removedfrom a battery receiving space of a materials handling vehicle. Theremovable battery assembly may comprise lateral battery faces, eachcomprising a longitudinal guide structure that may be oriented along thebattery insertion and removal axis. The longitudinal guide structure ofeach lateral battery face may comprise a one-sided channel portion thatmay terminate in a channel shoulder of the longitudinal guide structure.The one-sided channel portion of the longitudinal guide structure maycomprise a lever-receiving detent that may be configured to receive thedistal end of retention levers, with the removable battery assemblyseated in the battery receiving space.

The battery receiving space may comprise opposing retention blocks, eacharranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and eachcomprising a retention lever comprising a fixed end and a distal end.The longitudinal guide structure of each lateral battery face maycomprise a lever-receiving detent that is configured to receive thedistal end of one of the retention levers, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space.

Each retention lever may be configured to lie in a state of flexion whenreceived in the lever-receiving detent of the longitudinal guidestructure.

Each retention block may comprise a planar guiding surface facing anopposing surface of the longitudinal guide structure. The planar guidingsurface of the retention block may comprise a retention lever recess.Each retention lever may be configured for increased flexion as it movesprogressively towards the retention lever recess.

Each retention block may comprise a planar guiding surface facing anopposing surface of the longitudinal guide structure. The planar guidingsurface of the retention block may comprise a retention lever recess.The fixed end of each retention lever may be positioned in the retentionlever recess to avoid contact with the opposing surface of thelongitudinal guide structure.

The distal end of each retention lever may comprise a terminal lobe. Thelever-receiving detent and the terminal lobe may define mating roundedprofiles.

Each retention block may comprise a metal backing plate and a plasticretention lever plate.

The removable battery assembly may comprise a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The battery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector thatcomplements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly.Each retention lever may be positioned such that each of thelever-receiving detents receives a distal end of one of the retentionlevers simultaneously with engagement of the electrical socket on theleading face of the removable battery assembly with the electricalconnector in the battery receiving space, as the removable batteryassembly is inserted into the battery receiving space.

Each longitudinal guide structure of the lateral battery faces maycomprise a one-sided channel portion that comprises the opposing surfacefacing the guiding surface of the retention block, with the removablebattery assembly seated in the battery receiving space. The one-sidedchannel portion of the longitudinal guide structure may comprise alever-receiving detent that is configured to receive the distal end of aretention levers, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.

The one-sided channel portion may terminate in a channel shoulder of thelongitudinal guide structure. Each guide block may comprise a chamferedleading portion that faces the channel shoulder of the longitudinalguide structure, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.

In a further aspect, a materials handling vehicle includes a batteryreceiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: theremovable battery assembly includes lateral battery faces, eachincluding a longitudinal guide structure; the battery receiving spaceincludes opposing retention blocks, each arranged on opposite sides ofthe battery receiving space, and each comprising a retention leverincluding a fixed end and a distal end; and the longitudinal guidestructure of each lateral battery face includes a lever-receiving detentthat is configured to receive the distal end of one of the retentionlevers.

A further aspect relates to a materials handling vehicle. The materialshandling vehicle may comprise a materials handling mechanism, a drivemechanism, a battery receiving space, and a removable battery assembly.

The materials handling mechanism may be configured to engage goods in awarehouse environment and may cooperate with the drive mechanism, underpower from the removable battery assembly, to move goods along aninventory transit surface in the warehouse environment.

The removable battery assembly and the battery receiving space maycooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis along which theremovable battery assembly may be inserted into and removed from thebattery receiving space. The removable battery assembly may comprise abattery body, a leading face, an electrical socket on the leading faceof the removable battery assembly, and a battery locking mechanism. Thebattery receiving space may comprise an electrical connector that maycomplement the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly, anda battery latch that may engage the battery locking mechanismsimultaneously with engagement of the electrical socket on the leadingface of the removable battery assembly with the electrical connector inthe battery receiving space, as the removable battery assembly isinserted into the battery receiving space. The leading face of theremovable battery assembly may rest on a bottom surface of the batteryreceiving space with the battery locking mechanism engaged with thebattery latch, and/or with the electrical socket engaged with theelectrical connector. The electrical socket, the electrical connector,the battery body, and the battery receiving space may be configured todefine a standoff gap extending along the battery insertion and removalaxis between opposing surfaces of the electrical socket and theelectrical connector, with the leading face of the removable batteryassembly resting on the bottom surface of the battery receiving space.

The electrical connector in the battery receiving space may comprise aconnector housing comprising an outer wall that may be tapered to areduced-size footprint as it extends away from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space. The electrical socket on the leading face ofthe removable battery assembly may comprise a socket housing comprisingan inner wall that may be tapered to an increased-size footprint as itextends away from the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The inner wall that may be tapered to complement and contact the taperof the outer wall of the connector housing with the leading face of theremovable battery assembly resting on the bottom surface of the batteryreceiving space, and with the standoff gap between opposing surfaces ofthe electrical socket and the electrical connector.

The opposing surfaces of the electrical socket and the electricalconnector may be horizontally oriented opposing surfaces that may beperpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis and may bespaced apart by the standoff gap.

The standoff gap, or a gap larger than the standoff gap, may bemaintained between substantially all horizontally oriented opposingsurfaces of the electrical socket and the electrical connector.

The standoff gap (414) may be at least about 0.2 mm. The standoff gapmay be between about 0.2 mm and about 1.7 mm.

The battery-side electrical socket may be recessed in the leading faceof the battery assembly with a socket housing. The vehicle-sideelectrical connector may project upwardly from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space with a connector housing. The battery-sideelectrical socket may comprise a rim portion that may be enclosed by thesocket housing and may extend generally parallel to the leading face ofthe battery assembly. The vehicle-side electrical connector may comprisea shoulder portion that may be enclosed by the connector housing and mayextend generally parallel to the bottom surface of the battery receivingspace.

The rim portion of the battery-side electrical socket may extendparallel to the shoulder portion of the vehicle-side electricalconnector, with the removable battery assembly seated in the batteryreceiving space, and is spaced from the shoulder portion by the standoffgap.

The battery-side electrical socket may be recessed in the leading faceof the battery assembly with a socket housing. The vehicle-sideelectrical connector may project upwardly from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space with a connector housing.

The connector housing may comprise an outer wall that may be tapered toa reduced-size footprint as it extends away from the bottom surface ofthe battery receiving space. The socket housing may comprise an innerwall that may be tapered to an increased-size footprint as it extendsaway from the leading face of the removable battery assembly.

The battery-side electrical socket may comprise a rim portion that maybe enclosed by the socket housing and may extend generally parallel tothe leading face of the battery assembly. The vehicle-side electricalconnector may comprise a shoulder portion that may be enclosed by theconnector housing and may extend generally parallel to the bottomsurface of the battery receiving space.

The rim portion of the battery-side electrical socket may extendparallel to the shoulder portion of the vehicle-side electricalconnector, with the removable battery assembly seated in the batteryreceiving space, and may be spaced from the shoulder portion by thestandoff gap.

The electrical connector in the battery receiving space may comprise aconnector housing comprising an outer wall that may be tapered to areduced-size footprint as it extends away from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space.

The electrical socket on the leading face of the removable batteryassembly may comprise a socket housing comprising an inner wall that maybe tapered to an increased-size footprint as it extends away from theleading face of the removable battery assembly.

The electrical connector in the battery receiving space may comprise aconnector housing comprising an outer wall that may be tapered to areduced-size footprint as it extends away from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space. The electrical socket on the leading face ofthe removable battery assembly may comprise a socket housing comprisingan inner wall that may be tapered to an increased-size footprint as itextends away from the leading face of the removable battery assembly;and the inner wall of the electrical socket may be tapered to complementand contact the taper of the outer wall of the connector housing withthe leading face of the removable battery assembly resting on the bottomsurface of the battery receiving space.

The electrical socket may comprise a set of electrically conductive pinreceptacles and the electrical connector may comprise a set ofcomplementary electrically conductive connector pins. An outermostportion of the standoff gap may surround the set of electricallyconductive pin receptacles and the set of complementary electricallyconductive connector pins, with the leading face of the removablebattery assembly resting on the bottom surface of the battery receivingspace and the a set of electrically conductive pin receptacles engagingthe set of complementary electrically conductive connector pins.

The socket housing of the electrical socket and the connector housing ofthe electrical connector may cooperate to enclose the set ofelectrically conductive pin receptacles and the set of complementaryelectrically conductive connector pins to form a barrier between theoutermost portion of the standoff gap and the engaged sets of pinreceptacles and connector pins, with the leading face of the removablebattery assembly resting on the bottom surface of the battery receivingspace.

The electrical connector in the battery receiving space comprises aconnector housing comprising an outer wall that may be tapered to areduced-size footprint as it extends away from the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space. The electrical socket on the leading face ofthe removable battery assembly may comprise a socket housing comprisingan inner wall that may be tapered to an increased-size footprint as itextends away from the leading face of the removable battery assembly.The inner wall of the electrical socket may be tapered to complement andcontact the taper of the outer wall of the connector housing with theleading face of the removable battery assembly resting on the bottomsurface of the battery receiving space. The inner wall of the electricalsocket may contact the outer wall of the connector housing at a taperedcontact boundary surrounding the outermost portion of the standoff gap.

The set of electrically conductive pin receptacles and the set ofcomplementary electrically conductive connector pins form an eight pinconfiguration comprising: positive and negative battery terminals B+/B-;a CANH signal pin for a CAN Bus High Signal; a CANL signal pin for a CANBus Low Signal; a SIG1 signal pin for a battery discharge start signal;a SIG2 signal pin for a battery charge start signal; a SIG3 signal pinfor a discharge select signal; and/or a SIG4 signal pin for an AuxiliarySignal.

In a further aspect, a materials handling vehicle includes a batteryreceiving space, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: theremovable battery assembly includes a battery body, a leading face, andan electrical socket on the leading face of the removable batteryassembly; the battery receiving space includes an electrical connector;the leading face of the removable battery assembly rests on a bottomsurface of the battery receiving space with the electrical socketengaged with the electrical connector; and the electrical socket, theelectrical connector, the battery body, and the battery receiving spaceare configured to define a standoff gap between opposing surfaces of theelectrical socket and the electrical connector, with the leading face ofthe removable battery assembly resting on the bottom surface of thebattery receiving space.

Embodiments and features from one aspect may be embodiments and featuresfrom another aspect. Additional features and advantages may be gleanedby the person skilled in the art from the following description ofexemplary embodiments with respect to the appended figures. Theembodiments as shown and described are exemplary embodiments only andshall not be construed as limiting the invention, which is defined bythe appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following detailed description of specific embodiments of thepresent disclosure can be best understood when read in conjunction withthe following drawings, where like structure is indicated with likereference numerals and in which:

FIG. 1 schematically depicts a perspective view of a materials handlingvehicle, according to one or more embodiments shown and describedherein;

FIG. 2 schematically depicts a removable battery assembly of thematerials handling vehicle of FIG. 1 , according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 3 schematically depicts an exploded perspective view of theremovable battery assembly of FIG. 2 , according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 4 schematically depicts another exploded perspective view of theremovable battery assembly of FIG. 2 , according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 5 schematically depicts an enlarged cross-section view of camsurfaces of the removable battery assembly of FIG. 2 , according to oneor more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 6 schematically depicts a perspective view of a spring-loadedbattery handle of the removable battery assembly of FIG. 2 , accordingto one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 7 schematically depicts a perspective view of a spring-loadedlocking pin of the removable battery assembly of FIG. 2 , according toone or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 8 schematically depicts a partial cross-section view of theremovable battery assembly of FIG. 2 , according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 9 schematically depicts an enlarged partial cross-section view ofthe removable battery assembly of FIG. 2 in a locked position, accordingto one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 10 schematically depicts an enlarged partial cross-section view ofthe removable battery assembly of FIG. 2 in an unlocked position,according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 11 schematically depicts an embodiment of a removable batteryassembly including a pair of guide pin stabilizers, according to one ormore embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 12 schematically depicts a perspective view of the removablebattery assembly of FIG. 11 being inserted into a battery receivingspace, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 13 schematically depicts another perspective view of the removablebattery assembly of FIG. 11 being inserted into the battery receivingspace, according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 14 schematically depicts a side view of the removable batteryassembly of FIG. 11 received within the battery receiving space,according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 15 schematically depicts a perspective view of another embodimentof a removable battery assembly being inserted into the batteryreceiving space including a guide block, according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 16 schematically depicts a perspective view of the guide block ofFIG. 15 , according to one or more embodiments shown and describedherein;

FIG. 17 schematically depicts an exploded perspective view of the guideblock of FIG. 15 , according to one or more embodiments shown anddescribed herein;

FIG. 18 schematically depicts a perspective view of the batteryreceiving space including a pair of retention blocks, according to oneor more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 19 schematically depicts a side view of one of the retention blocksengaging the removable battery assembly, according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 20 schematically depicts an enlarged side view of the retentionblock of FIG. 19 , according to one or more embodiments shown anddescribed herein;

FIG. 21 schematically depicts a cross-section view of an electricalsocket of the removable battery assembly mating with an electricalconnector of the battery receiving space, according to one or moreembodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 22 schematically depicts an enlarged cross-section view of theelectrical socket of FIG. 21 mating with the electrical connector ofFIG. 21 , according to one or more embodiments shown and describedherein;

FIG. 23 schematically depicts an enlarged front view of the electricalsocket of FIG. 21 mating with the electrical connector of FIG. 21 ,according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein;

FIG. 24 schematically depicts a perspective view of the electricalconnector of FIG. 21 , according to one or more embodiments shown anddescribed herein;

FIG. 25 schematically depicts another perspective view of the electricalconnector of FIG. 21 , according to one or more embodiments shown anddescribed herein;

FIG. 26 schematically depicts a plurality of display screens to bedisplayed on a battery display of the removable battery assembly,according to one or more embodiments shown and described herein; and

FIG. 27 schematically depicts a circuit schematic illustratingcomplementary socket/connector pin assignments for the battery couplingof a battery powered materials handling vehicle, according to one ormore embodiments shown and described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring initially to FIG. 1 , a materials handling vehicle 100 isshown. The materials handling vehicle 100 includes a materials handlingmechanism 110, a drive mechanism 120, a battery receiving space 130, anda removable battery assembly 200. The materials handling mechanism 110is configured to engage goods in a warehouse environment and cooperateswith the drive mechanism 120, under power from the removable batteryassembly 200, to move goods along an inventory transit surface in thewarehouse environment.

For the purposes of defining and describing the concepts and scope ofthe present disclosure, it is noted that a “warehouse” encompasses anyindoor or outdoor industrial facility in which materials handlingvehicles transport goods including, but not limited to, indoor oroutdoor industrial facilities that are intended primarily for thestorage of goods, such as those where multilevel racks are arranged inaisles, and manufacturing facilities where goods are transported aboutthe facility by materials handling vehicles for use in one or moremanufacturing processes.

The drive mechanism 120 is merely illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 ,and it is noted that a variety of conventional and yet-to-be developeddrive mechanisms will be suitable for operation with materials handlingvehicles of the present disclosure. For example, and not by way oflimitation, in the context of a pallet truck, the drive mechanism 120may comprise an electric motor that is integrated with the steerablewheel of the pallet truck, as is disclosed in US 6,343,907, and othersimilar patent literature.

The removable battery assembly 200 and the battery receiving space 130cooperate to define a battery insertion and removal axis 140 along whichthe removable battery assembly 200 is inserted into and removed from thebattery receiving space 130. It is noted that the present descriptionand claims refer to movement of various components “along” respectiveaxes. This movement “along” an axis encompasses movement that isdirectly co-linear with the associated axis and movement that isdisplaced from but parallel to the associated axis.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-4 , the removable battery assembly 200comprises a battery body 210 and a battery locking mechanism 220. Thebattery body 210 of the removable battery assembly 200 comprises aplurality of rechargeable battery cells 211, a front case 210A, and arear case 210B. The front and rear cases 210A, 210B cooperate to containthe plurality of rechargeable battery cells 211 therein. As described inmore detail herein, the front and rear cases 210A, 210B cooperate tocontain portions of the battery locking mechanism 220. The removablebattery assembly 200 comprises a leading face 201 provided at a lowerend of the front and rear cases 210A, 210B.

It should be appreciated that only one of the front and rear cases 210A,210B will need to be designed with particular attention to thetolerances required for proper constrainment of the linear movement ofthe locking mechanism parts, as described herein. In addition, batteryassembly is optimized by allowing for the complete installation of thebattery locking mechanism 220 in one of front and rear cases 210A, 210Bprior to assembly of the front and rear cases 210A, 210B withappropriate securing hardware, adhesive, and/or other bondingtechnology. The battery body 210 may comprise unitarily integratedhardware, multi-component hardware, or a combination thereof, forconstraining the battery locking mechanism 220 and individual componentsthereof to linear movement.

As shown in FIG. 21 , the removable battery assembly 200 comprises anelectrical socket 300 on the leading face 201 of the removable batteryassembly 200. The battery receiving space 130 comprises an electricalconnector 400 that complements the electrical socket 300 of theremovable battery assembly 200. The leading face 201 is the side of theremovable battery assembly 200 facing the battery receiving space 130 asthe removable battery assembly 200 is inserted into the batteryreceiving space 130 in a direction opposite the handle lifting direction255 along the battery insertion and removal axis 140.

As shown in FIG. 6 , the battery locking mechanism 220 comprises aspring-loaded battery handle 230 including a grip portion 231 and one ormore arm portions 237A, 237B extending in a handle lifting direction255. As shown, the spring-loaded battery handle 230 includes a pair ofspaced-apart arm portions provided at opposite ends of the grip portion231. The spring-loaded battery handle 230 comprises a planar handle camsurface 232A, 232B provided at an end of at least one of the spacedapart arm portions. In embodiments, each arm portion 237A, 237Bcomprises a planar handle cam surface 232A, 232B. The spring-loadedbattery handle 230 comprises a locking pin passage 234A, 234B formed inthe planar handle cam surface 232A, 232B. In embodiments, thespring-loaded battery handle 230 includes a locking pin passage 234A,234B formed in each of the planar handle cam surfaces 232A, 232B. Thespring-loaded battery handle 230 may comprise one or more handle-sidelimiting surfaces 236A, 236B independent of the planar handle camsurface 232A, 232B of the battery handle 230. As shown, eachspaced-apart arm portion includes a handle-side limiting surface 236A,236B. The handle-side limiting surfaces 236A, 236B are inclined relativeto the handle lifting direction 255. The battery handle 230 mayadditionally comprise one or more handle-side limiting surfaces 236A′,236B′ that are oriented perpendicular to the handle lifting direction255. The spring-loaded battery handle 230 further may comprise one ormore spring-engaging fingers 239A, 239B extending from the handle-sidelimiting surfaces 236A′, 236B′ of the battery handle 230 in the handlelifting direction 255, along the battery insertion and removal axis 140.As shown, the spring-loaded battery handle 230 comprises a pair ofspring-engaging fingers 239A, 239B. The spring-loaded battery handle 230may be unitary elements, as would be the case for a molded structure, ormay be formed of multiple components.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the battery locking mechanism 220 comprises one ormore spring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240B. As described in more detailherein, the battery locking mechanism 220 may comprise a pair ofspring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240B each having identical structureand being a mirror image of one another. Referring to FIG. 7 whichillustrates a single spring-loaded locking pin 240A and FIG. 8 whichillustrates the pair of spring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240B, thestructure of the spring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240B is discussed inmore detail. The spring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240B comprise a planarpin cam surface 250A, 250B that is parallel to the planar handle camsurface 232A, 232B. The planar handle cam surface 232A, 232B andcorresponding planar pin cam surface 250A, 250B of one of the armportions 237A, 237B is configured as a mirror image of the planar handlecam surface 232A, 232B and corresponding planar pin cam surface 250A,250B of the other of the arm portions 237A, 237B. The spring-loadedlocking pin 237A, 237B comprises a locking pin extension 242A, 242B thatextends along a latch engagement and disengagement axis 152A, 152B. Thespring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240B comprises a locking pin extension242A, 242B extending from the planar pin cam surface 250A, 250B andthrough the locking pin passage 234A, 234B formed in the planar handlecam surface 232A, 232B. The spring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240B of thebattery locking mechanism 220 may each comprise a complementarychamfered engagement face 244A, 244B. The spring-loaded locking pin240A, 240B may comprise a spring-engaging finger 249A, 249B extending ina direction opposite the locking pin extension 242A, 242B andperpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis 140. Thespring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240B may be a unitary element, as wouldbe the case for a molded structure, or may be formed of multiplecomponents.

As used herein, “planar” surfaces may include non-planar portions. Thisis shown, for example in FIGS. 6 and 7 , where the planar pin camsurface 250A, 250B and the planar handle cam surface 232A, 232Bterminate with rounded shoulder portions.

As shown in FIG. 5 , the planar handle cam surface 232A of thespring-loaded battery handle 230 and the planar pin cam surface 250A ofthe spring-loaded locking pin 240 are shown. An exterior angle θ₁ isdefined between the planar handle cam surface 232A and a cam surfacetraversal T extending in the handle lifting direction 255 along thebattery insertion and removal axis 140. The cam surface traversal T isperpendicular to the latch engagement and disengagement axis 152A.Additionally, an exterior angle θ₂ is defined between the planar pin camsurface 250A and the cam surface traversal T. As such, the exteriorangles θ₁, θ₂ are equal and alternate of one another relative to the camsurface traversal T.

As described in more detail herein, the battery locking mechanism 220 ispositionable between a locked position, shown in FIG. 8 , anintermediate position, shown in FIG. 9 , and an unlocked position, shownin FIG. 10 . It should be appreciated that when the battery lockingmechanism 220 is in the locked position, the removably battery assembly200 is locked within the battery receiving space 130. Alternatively,when the battery locking mechanism 220 is in the unlocked position, theremovably battery assembly 200 is permitted to be removed from thebattery receiving space 130.

The battery receiving space 130 comprises one or more battery latches150A, 150B. As shown, the battery receiving space 130 may comprise apair of battery latches 150A, 150B positioned to receive a correspondingleading portion 245A, 245B of the spring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240Bwhen the spring-loaded locking pins 240A, 240B are in an extendedposition and the removable battery assembly 200 is seated in the batteryreceiving space 130.

In embodiments, the battery receiving space 130 may comprise opposingpairs of battery guide pins 132A, 132B, each opposing pair arranged onopposite sides of the battery receiving space 130. Each opposing pair ofguide pins 132A, 132B comprises a latching pin 132A′, 132B′ and aguiding pin 132A″, 132B″. The latching pin 132A′, 132B′ and the guidingpin 132A″, 132B″ of each opposing pair of battery guide pins 132A, 132Bare positioned along a common guide pin axis, parallel to the batteryinsertion and removal axis 140. The latching pin 132A′, 132B′ of eachopposing pair of battery guide pins 132A, 132B comprises a recessforming the battery latch 150A, 150B that is positioned to receive theleading portion 245A, 245B of one of the spring-loaded locking pins237A, 237B when in the extended position, with the removable batteryassembly 200 seated in the battery receiving space 130. As used herein,the term “pin” can take a variety of forms, and need only be seated inthe battery receiving space 130 while presenting structure that canextend into longitudinal guide structures 204A, 204B of the battery body210, as discussed herein. It is also noted that a “pin” may be amonolithic element or may comprise multiple components.

Although, in the illustrated embodiment, the latching pin 132A′, 132B′is positioned closer to an open end of the battery receiving space 130,it is contemplated that the guiding pin 132A″, 132B″ may alternativelybe positioned closer to an open end of the battery receiving space 130.As shown in FIG. 14 , the latching pin 132A′, 132B′ and the guiding pin132A″, 132B″ of each opposing pair of battery guide pins 132A, 132B areseparated by a guide pin spacing S. Although this guide pin spacing mayvary across different embodiments, in some cases it will be advantageousto ensure that the guide pin spacing S is less than half of alongitudinal dimension L, shown in FIG. 12 , of the lateral batteryfaces 202A, 202B, and is at least about 47.5 mm. The aforementionedupper limit on the guide pin spacing S helps ensure that the batteryassembly 200 will not stick during insertion and removal, while theaforementioned minimum spacing helps ensure that the guide pins 132A,132B will provide sufficient resistance to inadvertent battery tiltingduring insertion and removal.

Although a wide variety of battery dimensions are contemplated withinthe scope of the present disclosure, in embodiments, battery dimensionswill range from between about 400 mm and about 450 mm (height), betweenabout 80 mm and about 120 mm (depth), and between about 200 mm and about230 mm (width). In embodiments, battery dimensions will range frombetween about 415 mm and about 416 mm (height), between about 101 mm andabout 102 mm (depth), and between about 211 mm and about 212 mm (width).The dimensions of the guide pins 132A, 132B and the longitudinal guidestructure 204A, 204B can be taken to scale relative to theaforementioned battery dimensions. To ensure proper insertion andremoval of the removable battery assembly 200 to and from the batteryreceiving space 130, as discussed in more detail herein, a minimumamount of clearance should be maintained between the periphery of theguide pins 132A, 132B and inside walls of the longitudinal guidestructure 204A, 204B. In many cases, a clearance of between about 0.5 mmand about 5 mm will suffice. In many cases, a clearance of between about1 mm and about 1.5 mm will suffice.

Referring again to FIGS. 8-10 , the latching pin 132A′, 132B′ of eachopposing pair of battery guide pins 132A, 132B may comprise a chamferedengagement face 136A, 136B. The chamfered engagement face 136A, 136B ofeach latching pin 132A′, 132B′ leads to the recess forming the batterylatch 150A, 150B of each latching pin 132A′, 132B′. Each complementarychamfered engagement face 244A, 244B of the spring-loaded locking pins240A, 240B is oriented to face the chamfered engagement face 136A, 136Bof one of the latching pins 132A′, 132B′ as the removable batteryassembly 200 is inserted into the battery receiving space 130.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 , the battery body 210 comprises lateralbattery faces 202A, 202B, each comprising a longitudinal guide structure204A, 204B that is oriented along the battery insertion and removal axis140. The longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B is sized to accommodatethe opposing pairs of guide pins 132A, 132B, including the latching pin132A′, 132B′ and the guiding pin 132A″, 132B″, as the removable batteryassembly 200 is inserted into and removed from the battery receivingspace 130. The longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B of the lateralbattery faces 202A, 202B is configured as guide channels. Inembodiments, the longitudinal guide structure 204A of one of the lateralbattery faces 202A is shorter than the longitudinal guide structure 204Bof the other lateral battery face 202B, to create free space along oneof the lateral battery faces 202B. As is illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12, this free space can be used to create room for hardware that formspart of the battery receiving space 130 of the materials handlingvehicle 100.

Referring again to FIG. 8 , the battery body 210 may comprise one ormore handle passages 217A, 217B and one or more locking pin passages219A, 219B. The battery body 210 may also comprise a handle grip recess225. As shown, the handle grip recess 225 is formed below the gripportion 231 of the spring-loaded battery handle 230 and may extend atleast approximately 6.5 mm along the battery insertion and removal axis140. In this manner, the aforementioned handle grip recess 225 providessufficient freedom of movement to allow a user to grasp the grip portion231 of the spring-loaded battery handle 230 with one or two hands andinitiate a battery removal operation.

The battery body 210 further may comprise one or more body-side limitingsurfaces 216A, 216B that are positioned parallel to correspondinghandle-side limiting surfaces 236A, 236B of the spring-loaded batteryhandle 230, to engage the corresponding handle-side limiting surfaces236A, 236B of the spring-loaded battery handle 230 when the batterylocking assembly 220 is in the locked position. The battery body 210 mayfurther comprise one or more body-side limiting surfaces 216A′, 216B′that are inclined relative to the handle lifting direction 255 anddedicated for engagement of a corresponding one of the handle camsurfaces 232A, 232B when the battery locking assembly 220 is in theunlocked position.

In the illustrated embodiment, for example, each body-side limitingsurface 216A′, 216B′ is inclined at an angle of approximately 45degrees, relative to the handle lifting direction 255. In this manner,the absolute surface area of the body-side limiting surface 216A′, 216B′is increased, as compared to cases where the body-side limiting surface216A′, 216B′ would be perpendicular to the handle lifting direction 255,to increase stopping power in the battery locking mechanism 220, and toreduce wear. However, it should be appreciated that variations of theillustrated 45 degree limiting surface angle are contemplated.

The battery body 210 may additionally comprise one or more body-sidelimiting surfaces 216A″, 216B″ that are oriented perpendicular to thehandle lifting direction 255, and may be positioned for engagement witha corresponding one of the handle-side limiting surfaces 236A′, 236B′when the battery locking assembly 220 is in the locked position. Thisperpendicular orientation helps optimize the movement limiting capacityof the battery locking mechanism 220.

The battery body 210 further may comprise one or more handle-facing,spring-receiving cavities 212A, 212B. A handle spring 238A, 238B may bepositioned within each handle-facing, spring-receiving cavity 212A,212B. Corresponding spring-engaging fingers 239A, 239B of the batteryhandle 230 extend into the handle-facing, spring-receiving cavity 212A,212B along a longitudinal axis of the handle-facing, spring-receivingcavity 212A, 212B. In this manner, the handle-facing, spring-receivingcavity 212A, 212B and the spring-engaging finger 239A, 239B of thebattery handle 230 cooperate to help maintain the orientation of thespring-loaded battery handle 230 along the battery insertion and removalaxis 140 as the battery handle 230 moves between a lowered or lockedposition, when the battery locking assembly 220 is in the lockedposition, and a raised or unlocked position, when the battery lockingassembly 220 is in the unlocked position.

The battery body 210 may comprise one or more pin-facing,spring-receiving cavities 213A, 213B. A locking pin spring 248A, 248Bmay be positioned within each spring-receiving cavity 213A, 213B.Corresponding spring-engaging fingers 249A, 249B of the spring-loadedlocking pins 240A, 240B extend into the pin-facing, spring-receivingcavities 213A, 213B along a longitudinal axis of the pin-facing,spring-receiving cavities 213A, 213B. In this manner, the pin-facing,spring-receiving cavity 213A, 213B and the spring-engaging finger 249A,249B of each spring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240B cooperate to helpmaintain the orientation of the spring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240Bperpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis 140 as thespring-loaded battery handle 230 moves between the locked position andthe unlocked position.

As shown in FIG. 9 , when the battery locking mechanism 220 is in thelocked position, the grip portion 231 of the battery handle 230 may beflush with a top surface 218 of the battery body 210. Alternatively, asshown in FIGS. 9 and 10 , when the battery locking mechanism is in theintermediate position or the unlocked position, respectively, the gripportion 231 and extends above a top surface 218 of the battery body 210.In this manner, the grip portion 231 is accessible from an exterior ofthe battery body 210 to be gripped by a user to move the spring-loadedbattery handle 230 toward the unlocked position and remove the removablybattery assembly 200 from the battery receiving space 130. It is notedthat the spring-loaded battery handle 230 may be considered to be“flush” with the top surface 218 of the battery body 210 when within anacceptable degree of tolerance, e.g., within approximately 0.2 mm toabout 0.5 mm.

The spring-loaded battery handle 230 and the spring-loaded locking pin240A, 240B are configured such that the handle cam surface 232A, 232Bengages the pin cam surface 250A, 250B with movement of the batteryhandle 230, relative to the battery body 210, along the batteryinsertion and removal axis 140. More particularly, the spring-loadedbattery handle 230 and the spring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240B engageat the handle cam surface 232A, 232B and the pin cam surface 250A, 250Bsuch that movement of the battery handle 230 from the locked position tothe unlocked position through the handle passage 217A, 217B in thehandle lifting direction 255 causes movement of the locking pinextension 242A, 242B of the spring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240B throughthe locking pin passage 234A, 234B from an extended position, when thebattery locking assembly 220 is in the locked position, to a retractedposition, when the battery locking assembly 220 is in the unlockedposition, along the latch engagement and disengagement axis 152A, 152B.As discussed herein, the battery body 210 constrains the spring-loadedbattery handle 230 and the handle cam surface 232A, 232B to linearmovement along the battery insertion and removal axis 140. Additionally,the battery body 210 constrains the spring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240Band thus the pin cam surface 250A, 250B to linear movement along a latchengagement and disengagement axis 152A, 152B that is perpendicular tothe battery insertion and removal axis 140. In embodiments, either thefront case 210A or the rear case 210B of the battery body 210exclusively constrains the spring-loaded battery handle 230 and thehandle cam surfaces 232A, 232B to linear movement along the batteryinsertion and removal axis 140.

As described herein, the spring-loaded battery handle 230 isspring-biased in the locked position by the handle springs 238A, 238Band is movable relative to the battery body 210 from the locked positionto an unlocked position in the handle lifting direction 255 along thebattery insertion and removal axis 140. Additionally, the spring-loadedlocking pins 240A, 240B are also spring-biased by the locking pinsprings 248A, 248B in the extended position and are movable relative tothe battery body 210 from the extended position to the retractedposition along the latch engagement and disengagement axis 152A, 152B inresponse to movement of the battery handle 230, relative to the batterybody 210, in the handle lifting direction 255 with the handle camsurface 232A, 232B engaged with the pin cam surface 250A, 250B. However,it should be appreciated that the removable battery assembly 200 mayinclude one of a handle spring 238A, 238B in direct contact with thespring-loaded battery handle 230 to bias the battery handle 230 towardthe locked position, a locking pin spring 248A, 248B in direct contactwith the spring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240B to bias the spring-loadedlocking pin 240A, 240B toward the extended position, or both the handlespring 238A, 238B and the locking pin spring 248A, 248B.

This movement of the spring-loaded battery handle 230 in the handlelifting direction 255 forces movement of the spring-loaded locking pin240A, 240B along the latch engagement and disengagement axis 140 becausethe respective planar handle cam surfaces 232A, 232B and the planar pincam surfaces 250A, 250B are relatively low friction surfaces, which areslideably engaged, and which are constrained by the battery body 210 tomove linearly along their respective axes of movement. In this manner,the pair of locking pins 240A, 240B will move simultaneously, inopposite directions, along the latch engagement and disengagement axis152A, 152B, as the spring-loaded battery handle 230 moves between thelocked position and the unlocked position.

It should be appreciated that the spring-loaded locking pin 240A, 240Bis positioned at a point along a longitudinal dimension L, shown in FIG.12 , of the battery body 210 that results in locking pin engagement withthe battery latch 150A, 150B simultaneously with engagement of anelectrical socket 300, shown in FIG. 21 , on the leading face 201 of theremovable battery assembly 200 with an electrical connector 400 in thebattery receiving space 130, as the removable battery assembly 200 isinserted into the battery receiving space 130, with the spring-loadedbattery handle 230 in the locked position. The leading face 201 of theremovable battery assembly 200 rests on a bottom surface 134 of thebattery receiving space 130 with the spring-loaded locking pin 240A,240B engaged with the battery latch 150A, 150B, and the electricalsocket 300 engaged with the electrical connector 400. With the batteryassembly and the battery receiving space 130 so designed, locking is notenabled until the electrical connections on the vehicle are properlyseated in the electrical socket 300.

Referring now to FIGS. 11-14 , in embodiments, the removable batteryassembly 200 further comprises a pair of guide pin stabilizers 205A,205A′, 205B, 205B′ on each of the lateral battery faces 202A, 202B. Eachguide pin stabilizer 205A, 205A′, 205B, 205B′ comprises a stabilizershank 206A that is anchored in the battery body 210 and a stabilizer cap208A, 208B that extends partially into or partially over one of theguide channels of the longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B to reducean effective width of the guide channel.

As shown in FIG. 14 , each pair of guide pin stabilizers 205A, 205A′,205B, 205B′ forms a restricted-width guide pin gap G along thelongitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B on each of the lateral batteryfaces 202A, 202B. The guiding pin 132A″, 132B″ of each opposing pair ofguide pins 132A, 132B resides at a guiding pin parking position P alongthe longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B on each of the lateralbattery faces 202A, 202B, with the removable battery assembly 200 seatedin the battery receiving space 130. The restricted-width guide pin gap Gformed by each pair of guide pin stabilizers 205A, 205A′, 205B, 205B′ atleast partially overlaps the guiding pin parking position P along thelongitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B on each of the lateral batteryfaces 202A, 202B. The guide pin stabilizers 205A, 205A′, 205B, 205B′ areconfigured to yield in a lateral yielding direction Y perpendicular tothe battery insertion and removal axis 140, and to maintain a degree oflateral resilience, when a guiding pin 132A″, 132B″ enters therestricted-width guide pin gap G. FIG. 14 illustrates the lateralyielding direction Y for each guide pin stabilizer 205A, 205A′, on oneside of the battery body 210, e.g., on the lateral battery face 202A.

To facilitate the aforementioned resilient yielding action, each guidepin stabilizer 205A, 205A′, 205B, 205B′ should define a degree ofstructural flexibility and rigidity, most advantageously where the shank206A meets the cap. To this end, each guide pin stabilizer 205A, 205A′,205B, 205B′ may be formed as a unitary polyurethane structure with ashank 206A that is relatively thin, when compared to the lateraldimensions of the cap 208A, 208B. To reduce wear, the guide pin cap208A, 208B, which would otherwise define a circular footprint, maycomprise a truncated portion 209A, 209B, as shown in FIG. 14 .

Referring now to FIGS. 15-18 , in embodiments, the battery receivingspace 130 comprises opposing guide blocks 160A, 160B, each arranged onopposite sides of the battery receiving space 130. Each opposing guideblock 160A, 160B is positioned along the battery insertion and removalaxis 140 to engage channel shoulder 2043A, 2043B of one of thelongitudinal guide structures 204A, 204B with the removable batteryassembly 200 seated in the battery receiving space 130 and the leadingportions 245A, 245B of the pair of spring-loaded locking pins 237A, 237Breceived within the pair of battery latches 150A, 150B.

Each opposing guide block 160A, 160B comprises a securement portion162A, 162B and a replaceable portion 164A, 164B. The securement portion162A, 162B of each guide block 160A, 160B is secured to the materialshandling vehicle 100. The replaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guideblock 160A, 160B is seated within the securement portion 162A, 162B, andis removable from the securement portion 162A, 162B without destructionof the securement portion 162A, 162B. The securement portion 162A, 162Bof each guide block 160A, 160B is configured as a bracket from which thereplaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guide block 160A, 160B extends todefine friction-inducing surfaces 166A, 166B and guiding surfaces 168A,168B, as discussed herein. In this manner, the replaceable portion 164A,164B of each guide block 160A, 160B can be removed and replaced manytimes over the lifetime of the materials handling vehicle 100. Inparticular embodiments, the replaceable portion 164A, 164B may befabricated from, a machined polyurethane block and may be fastened tothe securement portion 162A, 162B, or press fit into a space formed bythe securement portion 162A, 162B. The securement portion 162A, 162B maybe fabricated from stamped steel or other metal, and can be secured tothe materials handling vehicle 100 in a variety of ways, e.g., bywelding it to an interior housing 135 of the battery receiving space130, or by using fasteners to secure it to the interior housing, oranother component of the materials handling vehicle.

The replaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guide block 160A, 160Bcomprises a lower surface hardness and higher surface friction, relativeto the securement portion 162A, 162B. As noted above, the replaceableportion 164A, 164B of each guide block 160A, 160B comprises afriction-inducing surface 166A, 166B and a guiding surface 168A, 168B.The friction-inducing surface 166A, 166B and the guiding surface 168A,168B of each replaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guide block 160A,160B face an opposing surface 207A, 207B of the removable batteryassembly 200 or the longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B withoutinterference from the securement portions 162A, 162B of each guide block160A, 160B, with the removable battery assembly 200 seated in thebattery receiving space 130. The replaceable portion 164A, 164B of eachguide block 160A, 160B may comprise a chamfered leading portion 165A,165B.

Each friction-inducing surface 166A, 166B extends along the batteryinsertion and removal axis 140, parallel to and facing an opposing oneof the lateral battery faces 202A, 202B, with the removable batteryassembly 200 seated in the battery receiving space 130. Moreparticularly, the friction-inducing surface 166A, 166B of eachreplaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guide block 160A, 160B extendsdiscontinuously in a direction Z along the battery insertion and removalaxis 140 and faces the opposing lateral battery face 202A, 202B in aperpendicular direction X, with the removable battery assembly 200seated in the battery receiving space 130. The friction-inducingsurfaces 166A, 166B of each replaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guideblock 160A, 160B are raised, relative to the securement portions 162A,162B and remaining portions of the replaceable portions 164A, 164B ofeach guide block 160A, 160B, in the direction of the opposing thelateral battery faces 202A, 202B. The friction-inducing surfaces 166A,166B of each replaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guide block 160A,160B comprise a series of friction-inducing ridges oriented across thebattery insertion and removal axis 140.

Each guiding surface 168A, 168B extends along the battery insertion andremoval axis 140, perpendicular to the lateral battery faces 202A, 202Band facing an opposing surface 207A, 207B of the longitudinal guidestructure 204A, 204B, with the removable battery assembly 200 seated inthe battery receiving space 130. More particularly, the guiding surface168A, 168B of each replaceable portion 164A, 164B of each guide block160A, 160B extends continuously in the direction Z and faces theopposing surface 207A, 207B of the longitudinal guide structure 204A,204B in a perpendicular direction Y, with the removable battery assembly200 seated in the battery receiving space 130.

The aforementioned discontinuities in the friction-inducing surfaces166A, 166B of the guide blocks 160A, 160B create surfaces that will morereadily resist overly rapid insertion of the removable battery assembly200 into the battery receiving space 130. Conversely, the aforementionedcontinuity in the guiding surfaces of the guide blocks 160A, 160B createsurfaces that will more readily guide movement of the removable batteryassembly 200 as it is inserted/removed, without undue resistance.

As shown in FIG. 15 , in embodiments, the longitudinal guide structure204A of the lateral battery face 202A may be configured as a steppedguide channel comprising a one-sided channel portion 2041A thattransitions to a two-sided channel portion 2042A at a channel shoulder2043A. The chamfered leading portion 165A faces the channel shoulder2043A in the longitudinal guide structure 204A. Although not shown, astepped guide channel may be formed on both lateral battery faces 202A,202B.

By configuring the replaceable portion of each guide block 160A, 160B inthis manner, the replaceable portions 164A, 164B of each guide block160A, 160B functionally optimize the sliding contact that occurs betweenthe battery assembly 200 and the battery receiving space 130 as thebattery assembly 200 is inserted into and removed from the batteryreceiving space 130, while extending the life of the removable batteryassembly 200 and minimizing wear to the components of the batteryreceiving space 130. During insertion in particular, the guide blocks160A, 160B help limit excessively rapid insertion of the removablebattery assembly 200 into the battery receiving space 130.

Referring now to FIGS. 18-20 , in embodiments, the battery receivingspace 130 comprises opposing retention blocks 260A, 260B. Each retentionblock 260A, 260B is arranged on opposite sides of the battery receivingspace 130. Each retention block 260A, 260B may comprise a metal backingplate 261A, 261B and a plastic retention lever plate 263A, 263B.Although each retention block 260A, 260B illustrated in FIG. 18 ispresented as a two-piece assembly comprising a backing plate 261A, 261Bfabricated from a relatively high strength and rigid metal, and aseparate lever plate 263A, 263B fabricated from a material that isflexible enough to facilitate the formation of a functional retentionlever, as described herein, it is contemplated that the suitableplastics and other relatively flexible materials with sufficientstrength may be used to fabricate a monolithic retention block.

Each retention block 260A, 260B comprises a retention lever 262A, 262Bcomprising a fixed end 264A, 264B and a distal end 266A, 266B. Thedistal end 266A, 266B of each retention lever 262A, 262B comprises aterminal lobe 267A, 267B.

In embodiments, each longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B of thelateral battery faces 202A, 202B comprises a one-sided channel portion2041A, 2041B that comprises the opposing surface 207A, 207B facing theguiding surface 268A, 268B of the retention block 260A, 260B, with theremovable battery assembly 200 seated in the battery receiving space130. As shown in FIG. 19 , the one-sided channel portion 2041A, 2041Bterminates in a channel shoulder 2043A, 2043B of the longitudinal guidestructure 204A, 204B. Each guide block 160A, 160B may comprise achamfered leading portion 165A, 165B that faces the channel shoulder2043A, 2043B of the longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B, with theremovable battery assembly 200 seated in the battery receiving space130.

In embodiments, the longitudinal guide structure 204A, 204B of eachlateral battery face 202A, 202B comprises a lever-receiving detent 270Athat is configured to receive the distal end 266A, 266B of one of theretention levers 262A, 262B, with the removable battery assembly 200seated in the battery receiving space 130. Each retention lever 262A,262B is configured to lie in a state of flexion when received in thelever-receiving detent 270A of the longitudinal guide structure 204A,204B. More particularly, each retention lever 262A, 262B is positionedsuch that each of the lever-receiving detents 270A receives a distal end266A, 266B of one of the retention levers 262A, 262B simultaneously withengagement of the electrical socket 300 on the leading face 201 of theremovable battery assembly 200 with the electrical connector 400 in thebattery receiving space 130, as the removable battery assembly 200 isinserted into the battery receiving space 130. In embodiments, thelever-receiving detent 270A and the terminal lobe 267A, 267B definemating rounded profiles.

Each retention block 260A, 260B comprises a planar guiding surface 268A,268B facing an opposing surface 207A, 207B of the longitudinal guidestructure 204A, 204B. The planar guiding surface 268A, 268B of theretention block 260A, 260B comprises a retention lever recess 265A,265B. The fixed end 264A, 264B of each retention lever 262A, 262B ispositioned in the retention lever recess 265A, 265B to avoid contactwith the opposing surface 207A, 207B of the longitudinal guide structure204A, 204B. Accordingly, each retention lever 262A, 262B is configuredfor increased flexion as it moves progressively towards the retentionlever recess 265A, 265B.

Although the retention lever recess illustrated in FIG. 18 is defined byupper and lower arcuate surfaces, it is contemplated that the retentionlevers 262A, 262B, and the associated retention lever recesses 265A,265B, according to the present disclosure may be formed in a variety ofways including, for example, by utilizing planar surfaces to form theretention levers 262A, 262B and the retention lever recesses 265A, 265B.

Referring to FIGS. 21-25 , as is noted above, the removable batteryassembly 200 and the battery receiving space 130 cooperate to define abattery insertion and removal axis 140 along which the removable batteryassembly 200 is inserted into and removed from the battery receivingspace 130. The removable battery assembly 200 comprises a battery body210, a leading face 201, an electrical socket 300 on the leading face201 of the removable battery assembly 200, and a battery lockingmechanism 220.

The battery receiving space 130 comprises an electrical connector 400that complements the electrical socket 300 of the removable batteryassembly 200, and a battery latch 150A, 150B that engages the batterylocking mechanism 220 simultaneously with engagement of the electricalsocket 300 on the leading face 201 of the removable battery assembly 200with the electrical connector 400 in the battery receiving space 130, asthe removable battery assembly 200 is inserted into the batteryreceiving space 130.

The leading face 201 of the removable battery assembly 200 rests on abottom surface 134 of the battery receiving space 130 with the batterylocking mechanism 22 engaged with the battery latch 150A, 150B, and withthe electrical socket 300 engaged with the electrical connector 400. Theelectrical socket 300 may be recessed on the leading face 201 of theremovable battery assembly 200.

The electrical socket 300, the electrical connector 400, the batterybody 210, and the battery receiving space 130 are configured to define astandoff gap 414 extending along the battery insertion and removal axis140 between opposing surfaces 416, 418 of the electrical socket 300 andthe electrical connector 400, with the leading face 201 of the removablebattery assembly 200 resting on the bottom surface 134 of the batteryreceiving space 130. A reliable electrical connection can be maintainedbetween the electrical socket 300 and the electrical connector 400, evenafter repeated insertion and removal of the battery assembly 200, bymaintaining this standoff gap 414, and by ensuring that the leading face201 of the removable battery assembly 200 rests on the bottom surface134 of the battery receiving space 130, under the weight of the batteryassembly 200. This is possible because the relatively sturdy andphysically substantial leading face 201 of the removable batteryassembly 200 and bottom surface 134 of the battery receiving space 130oppose further engagement of the mating connector components under theweight of the battery, instead of components of the less substantialelectrical socket 300 and the electrical connector 400.

The aforementioned reliable electrical connection across the electricalsocket 300 and the electrical connector 400 is particularly significantin the context of materials handling vehicles where significant data istransferred back and forth across the connection. This data may include,for example, general CAN bus data that is transmitted between a “smart”battery controller and one or more of the vehicle controllers, datarepresenting vehicle or battery errors, command data, and, display data,for embodiments where the battery assembly 200 includes a batterydisplay. Each of these types of data transmission require a stable andreliable electrical connection across the electrical socket 300 and theelectrical connector 400 for proper vehicle operation.

In some embodiments, to enhance the aforementioned insertion and removaloperations, the electrical connector 400 in the battery receiving space130 may comprise a connector housing 410 comprising an outer wall 412that is tapered to a reduced-size footprint as it extends away from thebottom surface 134 of the battery receiving space 130. Similarly, theelectrical socket 300 on the leading face 201 of the removable batteryassembly 200 comprises a socket housing 310 comprising an inner wall 312that is tapered to an increased-size footprint as it extends away fromthe leading face 201 of the removable battery assembly. The inner wall312 that is tapered to complement and contact the taper of the outerwall 412 of the connector housing 410 with the leading face 201 of theremovable battery assembly 200 resting on the bottom surface 134 of thebattery receiving space 130, and with the standoff gap 414 betweenopposing surfaces 416, 418 of the electrical socket 300 and theelectrical connector 400.

The opposing surfaces 416, 418 of the electrical socket 300 and theelectrical connector 400 are horizontally oriented opposing surfacesthat are perpendicular to the battery insertion and removal axis 140 andare spaced apart by the standoff gap 414. Preferably, either thestandoff gap 414, or a gap larger than the standoff gap 414, ismaintained between substantially all horizontally oriented opposingsurfaces of the electrical socket 300 and the electrical connector 400.In some embodiments, it may be preferable to ensure that the standoffgap 414 is at least about 0.2 mm. In more particular embodiments, thestandoff gap 414 is between about 0.2 mm and about 1.7 mm.

The battery-side electrical socket 300 can be recessed in the leadingface 201 of the battery assembly 200 with a socket housing 310. In thismanner, the battery assembly 200 may be removed from the batteryreceiving space 130 and placed, leading face 201 down, on a warehousefloor or other surface, without causing damage to, or receivinginterference from, the electrical socket 300. The vehicle-sideelectrical connector 400 can be configured to complement thebattery-side electrical socket 300 by projecting upwardly from thebottom surface 134 of the battery receiving space 130 with a connectorhousing 410.

The battery-side electrical socket 300 may comprise a rim portion 315that is enclosed by the socket housing 310 and extends generallyparallel to the leading face 201 of the battery assembly. Similarly, thevehicle-side electrical connector 400 may comprise a shoulder portion415 that is enclosed by the connector housing 410 and extends generallyparallel to the bottom surface 134 of the battery receiving space 130.The rim portion 315 of the battery-side electrical socket extendsparallel to the shoulder portion 415 of the vehicle-side electricalconnector 400, with the removable battery assembly 200 seated in thebattery receiving space 130, and is spaced from the shoulder portion 415by the standoff gap 414.

The electrical socket 300 may comprise a set of electrically conductivepin receptacles 320 and the electrical connector 400 may comprise a setof complementary electrically conductive connector pins 420, orvice-verse. An outermost portion of the standoff gap 414 can beconfigured to surround the set of electrically conductive pinreceptacles 320 and the set of complementary electrically conductiveconnector pins 420, with the leading face 201 of the removable batteryassembly 200 resting on the bottom surface 134 of the battery receivingspace 130, and with the a set of electrically conductive pin receptacles320 engaging the set of complementary electrically conductive connectorpins 420.

The socket housing 310 of the electrical socket 300 and the connectorhousing 410 of the electrical connector cooperate to enclose the set ofelectrically conductive pin receptacles 320 and the set of complementaryelectrically conductive connector pins 420 to form a protective barrierbetween the outermost portion of the standoff gap 414 and the engagedsets of pin receptacles and connector pins, with the leading face 201 ofthe removable battery assembly 200 resting on the bottom surface 134 ofthe battery receiving space 130.

FIG. 26 depicts a plurality of display screens that may be displayed onan on board battery display 280 of the removable battery assembly 200.Battery errors such as, for example, communication errors, input/outputerrors, and/or battery errors, may be detected, as discussed in moredetail herein, and an associated error message may be displayed on thebattery display 280 to alert an operator. Further, a status of thecharge of the intelligent battery may be shown on the battery display280 when coupled to or removed from the materials handling vehicle 100.As such, the battery display 280 may be configured to show one or moreoperation status display screens 282, one or more charging statusdisplay screens 284, one or more standalone battery screens 286, and/orone or more error display screens associated with each status. Operationstatus may illustrate a vehicle start-up display, such as a logo, avehicle standby display including battery charge and vehicle run life,or a blinking display when the battery charge is under a threshold, suchas 10%, such that a low energy icon may blink to indicate need to chargethe battery. Charging status may illustrate a logo icon upon charginginitiation and a charging icon that may blink upon the battery beingcharged. An error status may illustrate vehicle and battery error eventcodes detected.

As a result, the battery display 280 may thus provide a joint display ofbattery information and vehicle information on the removable batteryassembly 200 when the removable battery assembly 200 is connected to thevehicle 100. A joint display is advantageous when using a battery thatmay be reused across a plurality of vehicles to show joint battery andvehicle information at a single location on the removable batteryassembly 200 when the removable battery assembly 200 is connected to aspecific vehicle.

FIG. 27 is a circuit schematic illustrating complementarysocket/connector pin assignments for the battery coupling 350 of abattery powered materials handling vehicle 100 comprising a removablebattery assembly 200, according to embodiments of the presentdisclosure. In some embodiments, the set of electrically conductive pinreceptacles 320 and the set of complementary electrically conductiveconnector pins 420 may be presented in the form of an eight pinconfiguration comprising, for example:

-   positive and negative battery terminals B+/B-,-   a CANH signal pin for a CAN Bus High Signal,-   a CANL signal pin for a CAN Bus Low Signal,-   a SIG1 signal pin for a battery discharge start signal,-   a SIG2 signal pin for a battery charge start signal,-   a SIG3 signal pin for a discharge select signal, and-   a SIG4 signal pin for an Auxiliary Signal.

In this manner, a discharge select signal can be initiated across theSIG3 signal pin by accessing, for example, a key switch, keypad, or RFIDreader on the vehicle.

Referring further to the schematic of FIG. 27 , it is noted that anemergency stop switch may be present and configured to stop providingpower upon, for example, detection of one or more vehicle or batteryerrors as communicated between the CAN bus and the battery assembly 200.It is further contemplated that the battery assembly 200 may receive acharging signal when connected to an AC charger and may be configured tocheck the charger CAN communication to detect any errors such that thebattery may prevent charging should an error be detected until the erroris corrected. If no error is detected, the battery may then be ready forcharging. The battery may send out a charging request current to thecharger via the CAN bus connection. The charger would receive thecharging request current and transit the requested charging current tothe battery. When the battery state of charge (SOC) reaches 100%, thebattery may set the charging request current to zero to send out to thecharger via the CAN bus to stop charging the battery.

In the embodiment of FIG. 27 , a key switch feature is shown along withan on-board charger discharging scheme in which an on-board charger isconfigured to charge the battery assembly 200 as described above. Inanother embodiment of an external charger discharging scheme, theon-board charger may not be present, the SIG2 signal pin may bedisconnected, and the battery assembly 200 may operate to be charged byan external charger.

In yet another embodiment, a keypad and/or RFID component feature may beincluded as part of the circuit diagram for selection rather than thekey switch feature. Similar to the embodiment of FIG. 27 showing anon-board charger discharging scheme, the keypad and/or RFID componentfeature may replace the key switch feature between the SIG1 signal pinand the negative battery terminal of the materials handling vehicle. Inan embodiment with the keypad and/or RFID component feature and for anexternal charger discharging scheme, the on-board charger may not bepresent, the SIG2 signal pin may be disconnected, and the batteryassembly 200 may operate to be charged by an external charger.

The removable battery assembly 200 comprises an on board battery display280 and battery controller 290, both of which reside with the removablebattery assembly 200 and communicate with the vehicle side electronicsvia the battery coupling 350, which comprises the battery-sideelectrical socket 300 of the battery assembly 200 and the vehicle-sideelectrical connector 400. The battery controller 290 of the batteryassembly 200 is configured to exchange information with a vehiclecontroller 170 across the battery coupling, which includes the multi-pinconfiguration described above.

The battery controller 290 may include a printed/protection circuitboard (PCB) including a battery management system (BMS) as anintelligent battery feature. The BMS may provide battery information tothe battery as well as to the vehicle when the battery is electricallycoupled to the vehicle to safely manage the battery and prolong batterylife. The vehicle controller 170 may provide vehicle information (speed,vehicle running hours such as over the life of the vehicle, vehicleerrors, etc.) to the battery display 280, which is communicativelycoupled to the PCB when the battery 200 is coupled to the vehicle 100via the battery coupling 350. Such errors may include errors indicatedby a vehicle safety standard, as indicated via the vehicle controller170, such as communication errors, input/output errors, and/or batteryerrors. The vehicle errors may be associated with vehicle fault codessuch as warning errors that warn of an error without affecting vehicleoperation and alarm errors that result in the vehicle controller 170taking an action based on the error. The vehicle controller 170 maytransmit vehicle information to the BMS via the CAN bus, and the BMS maytransmit this information to the battery display via an internal circuitof the BMS.

Battery errors, such as those discussed herein with reference to FIG. 26, may be transmitted to the vehicle controller 170 for the vehiclecontroller 170 to take an action. e.g., limiting vehicle speed based ona battery error, to avoid further influence of the battery error onvehicle operation. The vehicle controller 170 may also report theseerrors for display on the battery display 280. The vehicle controller170 may further detect a CAN communication error from the battery 200and send out an associated error message to the battery 200 for displayon the battery display 280.

It should be appreciated that the display of vehicle and batteryinformation on a battery display 280 is enabled by the reliableelectrical coupling that occurs across the battery coupling 350, whichcoupling ensures reliable transmission of vehicle information to thebattery display 280. Components of the battery assembly 200, includingcomponents of the battery-side electrical socket 300, and portions ofthe battery body 210, and the battery receiving space 130, as describedabove are designed to include tapered engagement surfaces that becomeprogressively more engaged under weight of the battery assembly 200.

It is noted that recitations herein of a component of the presentdisclosure being “configured” in a particular way, to embody aparticular property, or to function in a particular manner, arestructural recitations, as opposed to recitations of intended use. Morespecifically, the references herein to the manner in which a componentis “configured” denotes an existing physical condition of the componentand, as such, is to be taken as a definite recitation of the structuralcharacteristics of the component.

For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it isnoted that the terms “about” and “approximately” are utilized herein torepresent the inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed toany quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or otherrepresentation. The terms “about” and “approximately” are also utilizedherein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representationmay vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in thebasic function of the subject matter at issue.

Having described the subject matter of the present disclosure in detailand by reference to specific embodiments thereof, it is noted that thevarious details disclosed herein should not be taken to imply that thesedetails relate to elements that are essential components of the variousembodiments described herein, even in cases where a particular elementis illustrated in each of the drawings that accompany the presentdescription. Further, it will be apparent that modifications andvariations are possible without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure, including, but not limited to, embodiments defined in theappended claims. More specifically, although some aspects of the presentdisclosure are identified herein as preferred or particularlyadvantageous, it is contemplated that the present disclosure is notnecessarily limited to these aspects.

It is noted that one or more of the following claims utilize the term“wherein” as a transitional phrase. For the purposes of defining thepresent invention, it is noted that this term is introduced in theclaims as an open-ended transitional phrase that is used to introduce arecitation of a series of characteristics of the structure and should beinterpreted in like manner as the more commonly used open-ended preambleterm “comprising.”

What is claimed is:
 1. A materials handling vehicle comprising amaterials handling mechanism, a drive mechanism, a battery receivingspace, and a removable battery assembly, wherein: the materials handlingmechanism is configured to engage goods in a warehouse environment andcooperates with the drive mechanism, under power from the removablebattery assembly, to move goods along an inventory transit surface inthe warehouse environment; the removable battery assembly and thebattery receiving space cooperate to define a battery insertion andremoval axis along which the removable battery assembly is inserted intoand removed from the battery receiving space; the removable batteryassembly comprises lateral battery faces, each comprising a longitudinalguide structure that is oriented along the battery insertion and removalaxis; the battery receiving space comprises opposing retention blocks,each arranged on opposite sides of the battery receiving space, and eachcomprising a retention lever comprising a fixed end and a distal end;and the longitudinal guide structure of each lateral battery facecomprises a lever-receiving detent that is configured to receive thedistal end of one of the retention levers, with the removable batteryassembly seated in the battery receiving space.
 2. The materialshandling vehicle of claim 1, wherein each retention lever is configuredto lie in a state of flexion when received in the lever-receiving detentof the longitudinal guide structure.
 3. The materials handling vehicleof claim 2, wherein: each retention block comprises a planar guidingsurface facing an opposing surface of the longitudinal guide structure;the planar guiding surface of the retention block comprises a retentionlever recess; and each retention lever is configured for increasedflexion as it moves progressively towards the retention lever recess. 4.The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein: each retention blockcomprises a planar guiding surface facing an opposing surface of thelongitudinal guide structure; the planar guiding surface of theretention block comprises a retention lever recess; and the fixed end ofeach retention lever is positioned in the retention lever recess toavoid contact with the opposing surface of the longitudinal guidestructure.
 5. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein: thedistal end of each retention lever comprises a terminal lobe; and thelever-receiving detent and the terminal lobe define mating roundedprofiles.
 6. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein eachretention block comprises a metal backing plate and a plastic retentionlever plate.
 7. The materials handling vehicle of claim 1, wherein: theremovable battery assembly comprises a leading face and an electricalsocket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly; thebattery receiving space comprises an electrical connector thatcomplements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly;each retention lever is positioned such that each of the lever-receivingdetents receives a distal end of one of the retention leverssimultaneously with engagement of the electrical socket on the leadingface of the removable battery assembly with the electrical connector inthe battery receiving space, as the removable battery assembly isinserted into the battery receiving space.
 8. The materials handlingvehicle of claim 1, wherein each longitudinal guide structure of thelateral battery faces comprises a one-sided channel portion thatcomprises the opposing surface facing the guiding surface of theretention block, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.
 9. The materials handling vehicle of claim 8,wherein: the one-sided channel portion terminates in a channel shoulderof the longitudinal guide structure; and each guide block comprises achamfered leading portion that faces the channel shoulder of thelongitudinal guide structure, with the removable battery assembly seatedin the battery receiving space.
 10. The materials handling vehicle ofclaim 1, wherein: each retention lever is configured to lie in a stateof flexion when received in the lever-receiving detent of thelongitudinal guide structure; each retention block comprises a planarguiding surface facing an opposing surface of the longitudinal guidestructure; the planar guiding surface of the retention block comprises aretention lever recess; each retention lever is configured for increasedflexion as it moves progressively towards the retention lever recess;the fixed end of each retention lever is positioned in the retentionlever recess to avoid contact with the opposing surface of thelongitudinal guide structure.
 11. The materials handling vehicle ofclaim 10, wherein: each longitudinal guide structure of the lateralbattery faces comprises a one-sided channel portion that comprises theopposing surface facing the guiding surface of the retention block, withthe removable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space;the one-sided channel portion terminates in a channel shoulder of thelongitudinal guide structure; and each guide block comprises a chamferedleading portion that faces the channel shoulder of the longitudinalguide structure, with the removable battery assembly seated in thebattery receiving space.
 12. The materials handling vehicle of claim 11,wherein: the removable battery assembly comprises a leading face and anelectrical socket on the leading face of the removable battery assembly;the battery receiving space comprises an electrical connector thatcomplements the electrical socket of the removable battery assembly;each retention lever is positioned such that each of the lever-receivingdetents receives a distal end of one of the retention leverssimultaneously with engagement of the electrical socket on the leadingface of the removable battery assembly with the electrical connector inthe battery receiving space, as the removable battery assembly isinserted into the battery receiving space.
 13. A removable batteryassembly comprising a battery body, wherein: the battery body defines alongitudinal battery insertion and removal axis along which the batteryassembly can be inserted into and removed from a battery receiving spaceof a materials handling vehicle; the removable battery assemblycomprises lateral battery faces, each comprising a longitudinal guidestructure that is oriented along the battery insertion and removal axis;the longitudinal guide structure of each lateral battery face comprisesa one-sided channel portion that terminates in a channel shoulder of thelongitudinal guide structure; and the one-sided channel portion of thelongitudinal guide structure comprises a lever-receiving detent that isconfigured to receive the distal end of a retention levers, with theremovable battery assembly seated in the battery receiving space.
 14. Amaterials handling vehicle configured to move along an inventory transitsurface and engage goods in a warehouse environment, the materialshandling vehicle comprising a battery receiving space, and a removablebattery assembly, wherein: the removable battery assembly and thebattery receiving space cooperate to define a battery insertion andremoval axis; the removable battery assembly comprises lateral batteryfaces, each comprising a longitudinal guide structure; the batteryreceiving space comprises opposing retention blocks, each arranged onopposite sides of the battery receiving space, and each comprising aretention lever comprising a fixed end and a distal end; and thelongitudinal guide structure of each lateral battery face comprises alever-receiving detent that is configured to receive the distal end ofone of the retention levers, with the removable battery assembly seatedin the battery receiving space.